You have to work to get what you want

You have to work to get what you want                                                            051210

                The earth is full of minerals and all of them are useful for improving our standard of living; but these minerals have to be mined before they can be used. The soil is rich and eager to produce some good crop; but it has to be tilled before we can benefit in this way. There are many books in libraries and book stores that contain the information we need to get the next great idea that will take us far; but they have to be read and studied before that information becomes useful. All this points to the fact that we need to work before we get the results that we want. There is no shortcut to this end.

                Iron is one of the most useful metals on earth because it is found in relatively large quantities in the earth. There are other metals, though, which are found in larger quantities but cannot be used to the extent of iron because they are difficult to extract. Aluminium is one such metal. Even though it is difficult to extract, when needed, the only way to get it is to extract it from the ground.

                Useful as iron is, it has to be mined from underground. The ore from which it is mined contains many impurities that have to be removed before iron becomes useful. All this processing requires money and time. As a result large processing plants are built specifically to make iron available in a form that is usable. Without this work, all the iron and steel structures we see and use would not be available to us.

                There are other minerals that do not need much processing for them to be extracted. These are said to be found ‘native’ in the ground. Minerals like Gold and copper sometimes can fetch lots of money if sold in their unprocessed state. Gold panners who are causing siltation in our rivers are testimony to this fact. They get the gold and sell it to middlemen who go on to sell it on the legal market for a profit. Even though these panners get a lot of money from the gold they sell, they have to dig it up and remove the soil. There are very few places and instances where a big nugget can be picked without working for it.

                Minerals like diamonds can bring in a lot of money even though they are uncut. But those who sell them still have to mine them first. There is more money, though, for those who have the means of processing these minerals. This value addition is what makes the difference in income between the initial miners and those who sell after processing.

                The same can be said about the farming industry. The soil can make anything sown on it to produce more than the planted seeds. The seeds have to be sown, though, before the profit can be realised. Seeds germinate when the conditions are right but not every germinated seed will produce the maximum possible yield. The seed does well if planted on fertile soil that has been tilled. Tilling the land is necessary for production to go up. If you will get anything from the soil you have to work it and feed it. All this requires energy and time. If you do nothing to, and for the soil, you will not get anything meaningful out of it.

                There are many things in life that we want. Many of these are actually needs. There is only one way of making sure they become part of our lives, and that is to work to get them. There is nothing that happens on its own. All things are hidden somewhere in some ‘soil’ so that those who need them badly will dig them up. Those who are lazy will not be able to benefit from these hidden things because they are not prepared to work for them.

                If you want a degree you have to study for it. If you do not study hard enough you will not get it in the end. There is no shortcut. If you want money you have to work consistently for it. Those who use shortcut methods to get it always find that it goes before they can enjoy it, if ever they can enjoy it. Whatever you want, you have to work to have it.

                In most mines there are major minerals that they extract from the ground but more often than not there are other useful metals that are found in the same ore. These are sometimes processed depending on their abundance in the ore. While you do one thing, it is often true that you benefit in more ways than one. There are many other benefits you derive from one useful project. These may be just little but you benefit all the same. These benefits come only to the ones who own the mines. ‘Dig’ somewhere and see how many benefits you will enjoy. All you have to do is work.

                Remember the earth is full of minerals. It is those who are diligent enough to keep digging who strike the belt of the precious minerals. And those who dig deeper have a greater chance of getting minerals where there is no competition, for many are content digging on the surface. All you will ever want is available to you if only you are prepared to work fir it.