On a busy street in Lagos Island sat an elderly man who repaired umbrellas. Most people hardly noticed him. His small wooden stool stood between a shoe repairer and a fruit seller. When the rainy season came, business improved. When it ended, customers became scarce. One afternoon, a young man asked him why he didn't switch to a more profitable trade. The old man smiled as he carefully repaired a broken umbrella. Then he replied: "Because I don't just fix umbrellas." The young man looked confused. The repairer continued. "When a student can get to school without getting soaked, I helped." "When a trader protects her goods from the rain, I helped." "When a worker arrives at an interview looking presentable, I helped." The young man was silent. The old man wasn't seeing umbrellas. He was seeing people. He understood something many overlook: The value of your work isn't always in what you do. It's in the problems you solve for others. Many people spend years searching for purpose in grand achievements. Sometimes purpose is found in simple service. The umbrella repairer may never appear in a newspaper. He may never become famous. But every day, he makes life a little easier for someone else. And that's a meaningful contribution. Not every impact is loud. Some of the most important ones happen quietly, one person at a time. What's a simple service someone provides that you think deserves more appreciation?
