Hard work?

This morning, as I get ready for the last day of my work week, my feet are dragging, I am yawning, and my body is sore and wanting very much to get back in bed. I want to complain about how hard I have worked all week and then realize... do I really know the meaning of HARD work? Relative to what I normally do, yes, this week was harder, but I cannot call it hard work.

I have a boss who appreciates me as more than just a monetary asset to the company. He shows gratitude for my hard work. He rewards me with bonuses and days off. I can call out sick when I don't feel well and I can take vacation each year. I EVEN get PAID. And at the end of the day, if I decide that I don't enjoy working at this company anymore, I can quit and walk away on my own FREE will.

I just realized this morning how EASY my work is compared to MILLIONS around the world. 27 million people are victims of slavery - FORCED, UNPAID labor. They are treated worse than we could ever imagine. Lets ask and answer a few questions about their situation...

What kind of work are they made to do? Anything is fair game with slave owners...as long as it violates the victims' basic human rights, they are satisfied.

What happens when they do a good job? They don't get physically attacked that day.

Are they paid? Nope.

How many hours do they work? Around the clock. 16-20 hour days, usually with nothing but a dirty cot or cement floor to sleep on the few hours in between.

Can they quit? Under the brainwashing of the slave owners, no. Usually when a victim attempts to leave, they are beaten badly and then threatened by the owner. Their families are threatened to be killed or put into slavery as well.

Some people live their entire life on this earth in slavery. That means not ONE day of making their own decision. Hours upon hours of unpaid work, beatings, and general mistreatment.

So, after all that, can I even begin to call my work "hard?"