A Primer For Us Working Souls
They Delivered and So Will We
Working Thoughts, 12 Working Songs
M. L Stevens
1,000 Word Excerpt

From our Father's desire, our Mother's womb, we come into the world. If we are lucky, we are held, loved, and nourished.

If we are fortunate, our parents, teachers, neighbors, leaders and nations work hard so we can have the basics of life: a house perhaps, a pantry and chair and table and bed to fill that house; a chunk of dirt to stand on and dig into perhaps, a dribble of water to drink, bathe, and perhaps even to swim in; warmth on a cold day, coolness on a hot day; a bit of education and thus a world to believe in; a functional family; creature comforts, rewards of humanity's labors and dreams.

What if our new home is a mansion overlooking a city, or a tent in a desert, or a boat crossing the sea? What if wealth is lavishly piled around us, or sticks and dandelions are placed within our reach? With eyes open, feet under us, and hands reaching out, we flourish or fade, conform or rebel according to others' acceptance, rejection, or indifference.

The world, we soon discover, isn't always a perfect, peaceful, protected place. We want what our siblings have, and competition can be fierce. For those surrounded with material wealth, much is to be protected. For others impoverished, much is to be gained, and wise societies strongly urge their children to plant what they hope to reap. Each generation must prove that orchards planted will yield more fruit.

As individuals emerge into families, families into villages, villages into cities, cities into countries, countries into world powers, every moment molds who we become, what we do, why we believe, and what we care about. Hopefully, humanity outweighs greed, freedom stamps out slavery, progress overcomes desolation, and life outmaneuvers extinction. If not, our children will carry rocks and guns until even those weapons become their aborted children....


Food Chain
(Song 1)

Getting on the food chain is serious stuff.
Staying on the food chain can be very tough.
Living on the food chain is precarious at best.
But smile, use all your skills,
Lend a helping hand.
What's that?
What's always in demand?
Of course, the right skill,
A smile, plus a helping hand.

Working on the food chain takes every skill.
Climbing on the food chain requires every test.
Succeeding on the food chain is worth every spill.
So smile, use all your skills,
Lend a helping hand.
What's that?
What's always in demand?
Of course, the right skill,
A smile, plus a helping hand.

A lifetime on the food chain may seem very long.
But growing on the food chain can make one very strong.
Fulfillment on the food chain can be very nice.
So smile, use all your skills,
Lend a helping hand.
What's that?
What's always in demand?
Of course, the right skill,
A smile, plus a helping hand.

First of all, thank you, Mrs. Sheldon, for inviting Polly and me to speak to your class. How nice it is to be here today.

Thirty-two of you. My goodness. Polly and I were talking the other day about how many years it's been since we've been to school. Now, it's three days later and we still haven't finished counting all those years on our fingers.

I've been instructed to tell you how I made a living. I guess I have your teacher's permission to give you a few pointers too. There's not much to tell; I really haven't led a very interesting life.
It never was my goal to become a millionaire, but to always run a good business. Give people good service, give a fair price, treat them right, and you'll make money, I always said.

I was the seventh of 11 children born to an Italian farm family. Married the neighborhood German girl, the youngest of 14 children. Polly and I tied the knot while I was home on a three-day Army pass.
Being around people never bothered me. You're a natural at sales, friends used to say. So, after the war was over, I took over some neglected territory in Nebraska for National Biscuit Company. Because it was neglected territory, I was able to set numerous sales records.
Always wanting to be my own boss, I bought a small-town grocery store. But it wasn't successful. So I applied for the job as manager at a farm co-op store. Got the job by promising to quickly put the organization into a profit picture. Guess I was true to my word; I doubled the shareholders' original investment within five years.
After awhile, I began to ask myself, "If I can make money for them, why can't I make it for myself?"....

To Survive
(Song 4)
This is my work,
On it I do rely.
This is my choice,
The path I choose
To survive.
These are my skills,
My expertise,
God's will.
I'll carry on,
I'll work hard
To survive.

These are my hands,
On them I do rely.
They gather food
They smooth the rough,
They touch my love.
They may shape
Images
Of power. Or,
They may throw stones.
The choice is ours.
With head and heart,
May all survive.

Should I gain wealth,
May it all scatter wide.
Should business fail,
May our hearts not
Run dry.
Our families,
Our homes, to us
Are dear.
We'll persevere.
God's will to work,
Means we'll survive.