Hard work matters!

There was a knock on my door. Two young boys offered to do yard work for ten dollars. It was a quiet Saturday afternoon—the kind where you just want peace and nothing else. Then the doorbell rang. When I opened the door, two boys stood there, maybe eleven or twelve. Skinny, nervous, holding rakes that looked too big for their hands. They had that look—hope mixed with uncertainty. “Um… excuse me, sir… would you like us to rake your yard? We’ll do everything for ten dollars.” I asked, “Ten each?” They glanced at each other. The younger one shook his head. “No, sir… ten total. We’ll split it.” Five dollars each. For hours of hard work. Not begging—just trying to earn. And something about that hit me. They reminded me of who many of us once were—looking for opportunity, not a handout. “Deal,” I said. “Start whenever you want.” And they worked for two and a half hours, I watched two kids do what many adults have forgotten how to do: They gave their best when nobody was watching. No complaining. No shortcuts. Nothing extra. They cleared the entire yard. Filled bag after bag. Even swept out my garage—without being asked. When they finished, they knocked again. I opened my wallet and handed them four twenty-dollar bills. The older boy froze. “Sir… we said ten.” “I know,” I said. “But good work has value. And today, you earned it.” The younger one held the money like it was fragile. Then he looked up and said softly, “Thank you, sir… really.” As they walked away, they sounded very happy. And that’s when it hit me: It’s not enough to teach kids the value of hard work. You have to show them that hard work matters. They didn’t ask for charity. They offered a service. They delivered. They gave more than they promised. And in a world where shortcuts get praised and effort often gets ignored, I wanted them to leave knowing this: Good work doesn’t go unnoticed. Because when you do things with integrity, effort, and pride, someone always sees it. And life—sooner or later—pays it back. That’s not just a lesson for kids. That’s a lesson for all of us.