Taking the Time to Care

As I sat recently at an awards banquet in Fort Payne, Alabama, and observed the ceremony, several things stood out to me. But what stood out the most was one speech in particular. The Small Business of The Year award was given to a company called Complete Care. They provide home medical supplies to those in need.

The gentleman who gave the speech about them was a customer of theirs who had a rare disease that attacks his lungs and will eventually, perhaps sooner than later, take his life. He could not say enough good things about how the company treated him, especially during a time that was obviously very stressful and emotionally taxing.

It seems to me that Complete Care is a great company that certainly deserves the award. As I listened, I could not help but think about the differences between them and us. They provide medical equipment; we provide building materials. They save people’s lives; we sell products.

However, do not for one second think that our work is less important or impactful than theirs.

It can be, or it could be more.

It boils down to how you go about what you do doesn’t it? They could provide medical equipment without taking time to care for the customer or the employee. But they don’t. They take the time to care.

I would hope that we do the same. From how we treat each other, to how we give back to our community with Next Step Farms, to how we invest in Guatemala.

Sure, Complete Care is a great company that takes care of people. And Wilson Lumber is a great company that takes care of people (or else that’s what we strive to be). You see, no matter what it is that you do, or how much profit you make at it, it’s always all about the people. Companies and profits will come and go; people will last forever.