The other day my fifth grader made a statement along the lines of “oh, so you are just a janitor,” which lead to a heated discussion with his older brother. The discussion was around my responsibilities this year at preschool, which due to Covid, require a lot of cleaning. His brother took offense at his labeling me a janitor. On the other hand, I was more concerned about using “just a.”
How often do we minimize a job, role, or accomplishment by adding the word just?
I am just a stay-at-home mom.
I am just a volunteer.
I am just a _____________________.
Or responding to a compliment by saying?
I just followed the recipe; it was no big deal.
I just did what needed to be done.
When putting the word “just” in front of a title or accomplishment, it feels like we are taking something away, making it lesser than what it is.
Out of curiosity, I decided to look up the definition of the word just. In the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the definition of just is expansive. It is a word used in a variety of ways to mean a lot of different things.
exactly/ precisely – just right
very recently – the bell just rang
barely – just too late
Immediately – just west of here
only/simply – just be yourself
very – just wonderful
perhaps/possibly – it just might work
almost – the work is just about done
When we use the word just to describe a job or a role, “I am just a stay-at-home mom.” We are often using it in place of the word “only.” I am only a stay-at-home mom, I am only a janitor, I am only a bus driver, and well, I am not a big fan of labeling something as only. If this past year has taught us anything, it’s that the jobs we often considered “just” or “only” are the very roles that became essential in our pandemic life. They have not been only or just; instead, they have been the glue holding us together.
Our culture is quick to downplay the importance and value of jobs or roles seen as serving. Somehow we think it is better to lead, manage, and be in charge, yet it is not those with fancy titles changing the world. Instead, it is the ordinary everyday people who quietly show up, serving others who tend to make the most significant difference.
For seven years, I carried the title of Lead Teacher in a preschool. It’s not a fancy or high-paying job, but a lead teacher sounds like something to some people. Then covid arrived, and we had to pivot; I took on a support role at another school, helping with all the new measures needed to keep kids and teachers safe in this pandemic. And yes, I spend a lot of time cleaning, hence the “just a janitor” statement. I could define my role as “just” a janitor, but I don’t because I am still teaching. How I do my job, the attitude in which I approach it, and how I interact and serve others is teaching by example.
After helping a little girl wash her hands from a messy painting project, I did my usual wipe down of the sink area. The children are now accustomed to Ms. Joy cleaning after them. As she dried her hands, she watched me, then said, “Ms. Joy, you are always keeping this place so clean. Thank you. I think the other teachers like that; they like it when we clean up.”
Whatever role we serve in, paid or otherwise, it is not a “just” or “only” unless we want to define just in a different way.
When we “just” serve others well,
we might unknowingly be changing the world.
