You come yah fi drink milk, you no come yah fi count cow



A PASTURE AJOINING THE 7TH TEE (RED)
MAYFIELD GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB
CALEDON, ONTARIO



Translation:  You are here to drink the milk, not count the cows.

What does this mean:  Pay attention to the purpose for which you are at a job, or if you are a guest at someones home, and do not get caught up in matters that have nothing to do with you. As Jamaicans would say, stay out of people business!

Application:  Shortly after a posted the first blog I was on the phone with a longtime client.  She started to tell me the story about her sister whom she recently sponsored to Canada, and that story fit this parable so well I know right then that this would be my next post.

My client sponsored her sister and got a job lined up for her before she arrived.  Once visa was secured, my client lined up a job for her sister.  All the pertinent details of the job (hours, pay, working requirements etc,) were explained to her and she agreed with great excitement.  Of course, once she arrived in Toronto and "surveyed the landscape" she became green with envy.  My client has lived in Canada for many, many years and she has worked hard - that I can tell you without any hesitation.  She is also a driven and ambitious woman and as a result, she has done well financially.  Of course, the newly arrived sister now thinks she is entitled to what this lady has worked all these year to accomplish here and now!  She complained about the job, refused to reimburse her for the airline ticket she purchased and the story goes on and on.  Is this the first time this has happened?  Of course not, it happens all the time.

Instead of showing grattitude for the opportunity which was given to her, her benefactor's life has brought up all the seven deadly sins and more.  What a company owner does with their money is their decision, and because a family member is financial well off does not entitle any relative to any benefit.  It is that simple.  How the use and distrubute their assets and wealth is their decision and theirs alone.  With the right thinking and attitude who knows what can happen.  I read a story today about a young Dairy Queen manager who reimbursed a blind customer's money when he dropped it and the person who picked it up refused to give it back.  Warren Buffet, the richest man in America who happens to love his Dairy Queen icecream and is a large shareholder learned about the incident and now this young man is on his way to Berkshire Hathaway's AGM!  People do not realize the power of unmeritted favour as +Joel Osteen calls it.

Trusting you will drink your milk graciously, and let your blessings flow freely.

MissSam

September 20, 2013   

Every mickle mek a muckle

I hear so many beautiful proverbs all the time, and I just wished I wrote that down! Proverbs are a part of daily life in Jamaica.  They are colourful, funny and deep, all at once.  Proverbs is such a cleaver way to impart wisdom, so here I will write and decipher proverbs from Jamaica and around the world for your entertainment and edification.



AFRICAN VIOLET

"Every mickle mek a muckle" - this is a common Jamaican proverb, most often used in reference to money.  Country folks use it in reference to gathering produce or fruits, especially in drought or end of crop when the remant is garnered either for sale or home use.

What on earth does this mean?

Every small amount of effort, or money put together will amount to something significant!

Do not ignore or neglect small amount of money, for example.  If you save small amounts on a regular basis it will eventually grow to a sum that you can do something worthwhile with.  Over the my career in financial services I have seen how important this is, and of course, since I have many Jamaican clients this is a proverb I hear when they are pleasantly surprised the see the results of small consistent effort over time!

Beverley