Which Do You Have: A Job or A Calling?

Here I go again, using one of Lori-Lyn's posts as a jumping off place for my own post.  We are obviously in a similar place in our personal journeys as her posts seem to speak to me often - and quite directly!

Yesterday Lori-Lyn wrote about "The work we do" - how we view our jobs/careers and how we choose them.  I started to post a comment on her blog, but before I knew it I had written paragraphs rather than sentences.  And since Lori-Lyn's blog is Lori-Lyn's blog, not mine, I decided it wasn't the forum for sharing in such detail my thoughts on the subject.  Thus, this post was born.  So here's what I wanted to say (more or less) in response to Lori-Lyn's post:

I'm right there with you, Lori-Lyn.  There are those who look at a job as a job - a means of making a living - nothing more, nothing less.  Good for them.  It probably makes their lives easier.  They are happy to be content.  And there are more opportunities in life to be content than to be fully engaged and fulfilled.

But not me.  I don't want to settle for content.  I envy the people who love what they do so much that they would do it even if they didn't make a penny.  It (whatever "it" is) is so much a part of them that not doing it is not an option.  Like you said, passion seems to be the key.  Passion isn't always easy to recognize - especially when we've been trained to think with our heads rather than our hearts.

I chose my first career with my head.  I was good at school and enjoyed learning, so an advanced degree seemed like a natural choice.  I looked at the options, considered the costs and rewards, and chose the career that I thought provided the most rewards:  financial stability and respect.  Financial stability certainly helps alleviate a lot of fear and worry, I'll give it that.  But relying on the respect of the outside world to give you self worth is just . . . sad.

[Some may question my intelligence at this point, seeing as how (1) it took me well into my 30's to come to this realization and (2) that I didn't do a damn thing about it until after turning 40.  The important thing, though, is that I finally got it!  Better late than never, and it really is never too late.]

I haven't discovered my passion just yet.  And that's okay.  I have ideas about what "it" might include, but I'm far from discovering my calling - that passion at the core of my heart.  Or maybe I'm not.  Maybe I know what "it" is but just have realized it yet.  And that's okay, too.  After all, my head has the benefit of 20+ years of formal education and an additional 15 years of exercising my logic muscle.  It makes sense that my heart and intuition might need a little time to get up to speed and really get in the game.

Nevertheless, I am happier than I can remember in my adult post-college days.  And it's a genuine happiness - a happiness that comes from the inside; from making decisions for myself; from living for myself; from accepting what is rather than trying to mold what is into what is not.  And THAT is a success for which I am proud - and a source of self-respect I can value!

Well, that's where I am.

Until next time,
~ Melony

Comments

[Lori-Lyn]

I'm so glad we've reconnected at this place on the journey.
That genuine happiness --- that's the thing, isn't it?
I can't wait to see what you create for yourself!

[Yvonne D]

Your writing is absolutely beautiful! I can relate to every word, but not match your eloquence, I think.

[Melony]

Thanks Yvonne! I'm always saying that to/about other people. So nice to hear those same "your writing is absolutely beautiful" directed to little ol' me. So thank you!