Working Hard or hardly working?

I thought I’d just post this as it is something that irritates me.

I’ve never been a person who has asked for handouts, even with having a chronic illness. In grade 9, I made my Dad drive me to school so I can write an exam, inspite of the fact that I was terribly ill. My teachers told me not to worry about it, but I didn’t want any handouts. I wrote my test, went to my father’s waiting car, then went home to continue being sick.

I am definitely not the person who wants handouts. I work hard in everything that I do, including my work and my school. What upsets me is when I see people taking what I feel is the easy way out and taking advantage of things.

I hate hearing or seeing people in my class cheating on their tests. They cheat and end up with the same marks that I got by studying for hours. Are these the same people who will compete with me when I’m in the job market for a position in my field? I know, I know…people who cheat are ultimately cheating themselves. But geez…I’m still irritated.

I go to bed at night not knowing how I’ll feel in the morning. If I do feel unwell, I usually fight and struggle my way through it and do what I have to do. But sometimes…it’s just too much and I cannot go to work. Do other people have that same work ethic? Yes! My co-workers are all amazing and they work so hard. In fact, one of my co-workers and team members also suffers from Lupus. She is doing amazingly well. But then, like anything else, there are always going to be a select few people who do not have that same work ethic. As someone who works very had but sometimes has to call in sick because I’m (surprise!) SICK, it is highly offensive.

Oh well. I love the fact that my employer is so understanding of all that I go through…but words can never really decribe to others what I go through. I often wish I could just walk people through a day in my shoes, then perhaps they’d have more of an idea and an appreciation of how hard I work and how determined I am.