Tuesday, December 14, 2010

The meaning of a working life?

Today I had a job interview that was far less than perfect.

I’ve been applying to jobs that vary from kitchen jobs to group homes for adults with mental disabilities. My original thinking was that a job, any job, was what I was looking for: It would pay the bills and give me, hopefully, medical insurance.

I applied and today interviewed at a half-way house for convicted persons who pled insanity. The position was graveyard where the responsibilities were staying awake and what can be easily be called busy work for 40 night-time hours a week. It sits very poorly with me: playing medication-dispensing babysitter to grown adults.

It’s raised lots of questions -- I should probably say re-raised and magnified: should a job solely be a means to live? Should it be rewarding and something that you invest yourself in, or should it merely be a job that is superficially enjoyable that you can leave easily after your shifts? Should you identify yourself with your job, as our society often tells: Hi I’m Jon; I’m a (insert profession here)? Or should your job allow you to do what your heart loves: Hi I’m Jon; I love spending time in the woods. Oh and by the way I pay for life by taking out other people’s garbage.

Working for money is a really weird concept when you think about it. Our lives are the most valuable possession we have. And yet we are willing to prostitute ourselves as doctors, accountants, or janitors and the price we put on this selling of ourselves is a mortgaged-house, useless stuff, the latest gadget, and maxed out credit cards.

I think there is validity in the notion of having a calling. I think sometimes there are people who legitimately love being a doctor, teacher, grocery store bagger, and are good at it.

I want to find a way to occupy my time that “makes my heart sing” and hopefully that will pay for a simple existence. The hard thing is finding out what that is.

I welcome thoughts.

Juan

4 comments:

  1. "what do you want to be when you grow up?"
    "happy."

    Thanks for this post, Jon. A reminder that I'm not the only one who thinks the pursuit of money does not equal the pursuit of happiness. Keep searching for that song, brother.

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  2. i think this is an endless conversation in my head, in my heart and with anyone who has talked to me in the last 3 years. my church has been doing a realllly great sermon series on work (it's online, i can send details if you ever want to listen). But the thing I've been most struck by was someone's comment to me on how blessed/spoiled/grateful we should feel to even be able to choose. he talked about his parents, and most of the world, who work out of necessity, often in the same line of work as THEIR parents before them. work is a means to live and we are in a place of absolute luxury to be able to choose, and even to have these conversations. i think i better appreciate that luxury now, and while i still want to do something meaningful and intentional, it settles my heart a lot to know that there's a basic to need to work that i can/am fulfilling, and if i can take advantage of the luxury along the way....well, then, what an incredible blessing.

    Best to you, Jon, as you find your new work!!

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  3. Holy cow! People actually read this blog, process what I said and write intelligent things back!!!

    @Allison, I hear you. When I lived in the Dominican Republic, I would ask people: so what do you do? and if they had a stable job, I was ask so do you like it? They would look at me as if I'd asked them if elephants fly. Jobs were not about enjoyment. It was a necessary part of living. But even with that perspective, it doesn't lessen my concerns or diminish my ponderings.

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  4. Amen, friend ... but I don't have anything intelligent to say, except I hear you and fully resonate with your thoughts. Keep me posted!

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