Guidance in Difficult Decisions by Justin Elledge

I was working on the job with a new hire by the name of Ted and still getting to know him. As instructors of college design students in a woodshop environment, safety was always a high priority. I’d become aware of and concerned about his occasional drinking before he came to work but was so far unable to address it. Ted was retired from his former life of being an automotive repair technician specializing in electronics and very knowledgeable about circuits and electrical systems. The company he had worked for had changed over the years as electronic systems had become more and more replacement oriented than repair oriented. For this reason he was retired and replacing the faulty components was turned over to younger and less technically challenged individuals.

In describing his former life he occasionally waxed melancholy lamenting about what a great job it had been and that he felt challenged and useful in his career, retiring in his mid-fifties with still much life left in him. From what I observed he seemed competent and good with the students, however, I was concerned his drinking might cause him to injure himself or even worse, allow a student to become injured instead.

I am not sure if it was in fact that his life circumstances had led him into heavy drinking and perhaps drinking had led him to be retired, but I feel it may have been the former. At least that way I felt I could have the least judgment about it considering my own father’s alcohol abuse and how that had affected me. There were present issues at hand to deal with and safety on the job was paramount. I wrestled with this for several days on whether to confront him directly about his drinking, to inform a superior or simply keep my mouth shut and my eyes open to any hint of danger to him or others. Finally, one evening his drinking was so obvious I had to do something. I prayed for guidance on what to do. Should I report him to our supervisor guaranteeing his dismissal or speak to him directly not knowing how he would react. I was crossing the room and observed an air hose lying on the floor and I looked down to avoid tripping. Stepping over it I came to the conclusion to address this issue directly. I continued for a few more steps and I made a cut on the panel saw, finished and turned around again approaching the air hose on the floor.

As I walked over to the hose watching it to avoid tripping, there, right next to it, where I had walked only moments before was an extraordinarily shiny penny! I was amazed as I was the only one who had just crossed this way and there was no way that anyone could have dropped it in such a short time. This coin simply had manifested in answer to a prayer, as an affirmation of my decision. I picked up the coin to feel its hardness and the reality of it. I held it close and then and there walked over to Ted to discuss his drinking. No yelling, no reaction of rage or denial. I said my piece and he promised it would never happen again. And to this day he has never gone back on his word. Thank you Spirit, for your guidance, three lives were blessed that day.