It’s easy in this modern, often over materialistic world, to overlook the really important things in life and how the seemingly mundane function of moving people and their stuff from one place to another will affect their lives forever.

Here a young lady, described by her boss Anton Harris as a packer, supervisor, saleswoman and girl Friday, writes about what working in the moving industry means to her and reflects on what moving home really means to the customers she serves. Her name is Teshana Timothy, she’s not a professional writer - although perhaps she should be – she works for Stuttaford Van Lines in South Africa and wrote these words for herself, never expecting them to be published.

The editors at The Mover thought they were pretty good and wanted to share them with you. Here they are, as Teshana wrote them. 

Thoughts from a big green truck

Working for a logistics/removals company has been a very informative experience. The experience will guide me during my journey through life and the many other career paths I might find myself partaking in.

I have learned that every object has value, one might look at an object and criticise its beauty or worth and once we take a glimpse at the client’s insurance application our hearts may want to leap out of our chests, I say this in a humorous way yet it is certainly true.

Greatest lesson in life thus far, everything has great value to someone, handle every situation, object or task with utmost care and caution. That rugged old brooch in the back of the closet that your great grandmother was obsessed about might be worth a fortune, but you think it’s ugly …

All jokes aside I have enjoyed the busy exercise of packing up house, strenuous as it might have been. A sore back after a long day’s work will always be rewarding and informative.

I have heard this so much working in removals …” This is one of the three most stressful experiences in life – divorce, death and relocation” …. It might be so! - for all the stressful movers that have pretended to smile while leaving the cities they have loved and cherished.  Moving on might be the most challenging thing in my opinion, the fear of starting over after a good successful run.

I will say finding a job is stressful, I am typing this essay, sharing my experience and hoping for the best while, I smile and get teary and yes continue to fear, the change the wait and the future. We are all constantly living in fear or stress and that is the truth.   Finding mechanisms to cope are our only true resolve, and finally making peace with the current and finding patience to see what unfolds.

At times I would go home, after a three day long move and think about the little kids that will never see their nanny of nine years ever again, “Mama Zee”. They have grown to love her because she laughs at their attempts to say some words the way she does with such character and animation or when they imitate the way she walks, her round full figure always dancing with the mop or broom she had a calm sway in her step which is very distinctive, I am sure she was a great dancer in her young days.

“Mama Zee” was their mother when mom was hard at work at the office, she knew what they liked to eat as a snack, she also knew how to make them feel better after a terrible test, scones and jam or the wonderful peanut butter and jam sandwich. Yet Mama Zee has only one fear, she fears that the nannies in Australia will not be as nice and kind as she was to the kids she had learned to love as her own, she is not thinking about unemployment yet.

Loss is the biggest one, losing one’s self and the feeling of emptiness, our purpose seems to leave when the people we move leave, when our jobs are done and the house is empty, Mama Zee will be unemployed and the love she gave those children will be forgotten and replaced.

Sad reality, that I have witnessed far too often, but we jump back into our big green truck, sometimes leaving the daylight behind. I have been fortunate to sit in the front seat next to one of the loud drivers, which I usually shut out of my ears and mind, probably complaining again anyway. As I just redirect my focus on the beautiful sunset, I think it’s time for me to face my reality and move on, I always say that to myself. I will be positive and hope that there are bigger more complex jobs for me out there.

But tomorrow the only thing waiting for me is that big green truck and that is fine … I look forward to another beautiful sunset, more patience and more hope for a better tomorrow but never a different colour truck! That green, that beautiful green gives me hope.

I am Teshana Timothy just inspired and writing this as a letter to myself.

One day I will look back and these life experiences will make me smile.

Teshana.