John Balentine’s tale about his escape from his desk job, and how he’s doing “real” work now – i.e., schlepping boxes – made me chuckle. He’s discovered, he says, that working in the blueberry fields or digging ditches is better for the soul than staring at a computer. Now that he’s driving a delivery truck, he tells us he’s happy as a clam.

Balentine’s discovery that physical labor has an upside is like Donald Trump discovering that running a country is hard. Also reminds me of my snobbish mindset after quitting cigarettes 40 years ago, looking down at all those folks still addicted.

Eventually, he may figure out that we don’t always have choices of where to work, and that not all of us are capable of digging ditches. As he says, computers are here to stay. While he totes that load, those of us who enjoy forming words on the digital page will supplant all that sitting down with gardening, a gym workout, and a walk around the neighborhood.

Sharon Bondroff
Gray