Oilfield Family, Listen up

The spelling and grammar are not perfect but the sentiment is definitely worth sharing

 A wise man once told me "Once you get that oilbase mud on you, it'll never come off till the day you die." I had no understanding of this statement other than I was gonna need some strong soap. That was almost 20 years ago when I took my first step onto that rig floor, as a young adult and learned quickly what work was. I learned about V-Door keys, swabs, shakers, liners, tongs, catheads, blocks, cows cocks, nippling down, & all sorts of words only us roughneck can comprehend.

I've given a big part of my life to the Oilfield but it hasn't only paid me back in money. Its paid me back in knowledge. I learned how to be proud about something bigger than me. I learned how to get along with just about anybody from all walks of life. This place has taught me about responsibility, about trust, about comradery, and it taught me how to be a man. It showed me that even at your weakest point, you can still get up and face the day when you don't want to. 

As I walked around this last night of my 14 day hitch, and possibly my career out here in the patch, I can't help but feel sadness. The once deafening motors and pumps are silent, echoes bounce off the cold hard iron as if I'm standing alone in the middle of an abandoned place. I'll be headed home in a few hours, left with only memories of this place. Some good, some bad, some happy, some sad, but memories and experiences that have made me who I am and enough stories to last a lifetime.

But this post isn't about me. It's about us. The oilfield family because we are all facing the same thing right now. The majority of us that are left have been around awhile and most have been demoted and taken pay cuts.

We stress daily about what the future holds and how we're gonna put food on the table. In front of each other, we pretend to be unconcerned and say that we all have a plan once we get sent home. We struggle with the fact that we have to leave this life we have grown accustomed to and start over, many of us not knowing a clue of where to begin. Simply put, there is no job like this and we're not sure we can make it elsewhere. The bills, the kids, the wives or girlfriends, family, Hell they've all put us on this muddy oilfield pedestal and now we feel like we're letting everyone down. We feel like no matter what happens, we need to make it back next hitch and the next and the next just to maintain our sanity.

That's what he meant when that man led me to that rig floor and told me those words. Once you start This life, there's no substitute. I've tried getting out a couple of times but always ended up back, still trying to get that mud washed off. Nothing compares to this life. It's hard, it's dirty, it's relentless in its punishment to our bodies but it's what we know and what we're good at and it pays an honest days pay for an honest days work..

So where do we go now? What do we do? Well there's another thing that wise man told me. 

He said "There's no such thing as can't." Those words are what I live by till this day and I'm trying to instill that mentality in my kids.

We can get thru this and we will. It probably won't be easy and only the Lord knows how long it'll be before it comes back, but when you think you're at the end of the rope and you think you can't go on or you just can't do it.... Then you're wrong.

There's no such thing as can't. Its a choice and a matter of what you're willing to do in order to survive. You can do anything and get thru everything if you want to. Might not be easy or glamorous, and sacrifices will be made, but you can get thru it.

So to all my fellow oilfield workers out there, keep your heads up. Eventually we're gonna have to get that oil outta the ground. Till then, do what it takes. Put God and Family first and the rest will take care of itself.

It's been a pleasure working alongside each of you. Chin up, heads held high gentlemen. We are a dying breed able to perservere.

Let's all pray for better days.

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