FURTHER READING
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, by Jacob Wolki Ruggy Rastafarians
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, by Jacob Wolki We fragt hilft nich gerne
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, by Jacob Wolki Agriculture's biggest opportunity?
We fragt hilft nich gerne
- , by Jacob Wolki
- 4 min reading time
We fragt hilft nich gerne.
"Whoever asks doesn't like to help.”
This is a phrase that was repeatedly drummed into me by my paternal Grandfather, whom I affectionally call Baba.
(This is how toddler Jake pronounced “Papa”, which is what my mother told me to call him - it stuck and now 8 grandkids and 6 great grandkids use “Baba”!)
Baba is a very key figure in my life.
As a child, my grandparents 5 acre home in Albury was my oasis, and their company my most sought after treasure. The bond between children and grandparents can be a very special thing, and for me it has always been the most special thing.
There were no rules at my grandparents. None that I can remember, and certainly none of consequence.
My grandma, Bebe, would wake up and record Cheese TV on VHS for me, because I wasn’t allowed to watch TV before school at home.
Above and beyond that, she would sit through it and cut out the ads!
I’d frequent their house after school as both of my parents worked in the family business.
Bebe, my grandma, would sit me up on the couch. She would make me bacon toasties with the toast cut off - or whatever else I requests.
Bebe would place a bell on the arm of the coach and tell me to ring it if I wanted anything. If I walked to the kitchen to put rubbish in the bin she would scald me. “Don’t you dare! Drop it on the floor! I’ll pick it up!”
I know this might sound borderline gaudy with its obvious opulence, but it was the undertones that created such a loving and fun environment.
“We love you and will do anything for you”.
My sister and cousins also adored it at our grandparents house, but none as much as me. Being the eldest, I had my foot in the door first. I spent more time with them than the others, and had years of 1 on 1 time before any other local cousins arrived on the scene.
Anyway - I started writing this to discuss “raising children with a work ethic”, which is something people often want to discuss with me after witnessing my children in action. I got carried away reminiscing about one of the most beautiful times of my life. I could write a book of short stories about the adventures that I had with my Bebe and Baba. Maybe, one day, I will.
I remember a buried irrigation pipe bursting a leak, I was around 6.
Baba went to fix it so I went along with him. I watched and tried to help by handing the correct tools as quick as I could, trying to predict what may be needed next and handing it to him as quick as I could, making sure that the orientation of the passed tool being the most ergonomic for him to receive.
I marvelled at how Baba could fix anything. He’d often fix things around the house and seemed to prefer doing it himself over calling a tradesmen.
I never remember him complaining about the task or swearing at a slipped wrench. It was like he enjoyed the jobs.
Baba is a toolmaker in trade, doing his apprenticeship in Germany before immigrating to Australia.
Baba always said, “Whoever asks doesn't like to help”.
This is what his mother told him.
He would reminisce different stories when she would rap the lesson into her 3 sons, my grandpa the youngest.
So what does this mean? What is the lesson?
It is a heuristic for “just get it done”.
If you see someone doing a job and want to help, just start helping.
Don’t ask if they want help.
This flows into - if you see a job that needs doing, just do it!
Don’t wait to be asked!
A couple weeks ago a man arrived at the farm with a trailer load of hay. He and I were on one side unstrapping the hay and all of a sudden the tie downs started getting sucked back over the hay. We could hear the ratchet that holds them under the truck bed rattling away, being wound up.
The man was slightly confused for a second, as he thought it was just us there.
Lo and behold, on the other side was 7 year old Otto. Otto spotted the truck and ran down the rock driveway barefoot to help. He didn’t ask if we wanted help, he didn’t ask how to help. He just started working at the task, as effectively as a man.
It’s a beautiful thing to think that this trait has been verbally handed down 4 generations, and maybe more.
Thanks Baba, for this. And everything else. You know.
Jake
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