The other night, my son was complaining about his homework load. Dad tried to say that he (Dad) had to do homework for 8 hours a day and wasn’t that much worse? My son said, “Dad, you’re not doing homework, that’s just work. But you’re right, it’s not fun either. Work isn’t supposed to be fun.”
When he said that, I felt a little sad. He’s already figured out that work is something you do because you have to, not because you enjoy it. I interjected, “Well, it’s not fun for a lot of people, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find a job doing something you enjoy. In fact, that’s what you should try to do!” He answered, “Really? Pumpkin pie, Mom.” That’s his code word for “tell the truth,” like that was too crazy to be true.
A lot of people have talked about finding their bliss. I, like many others, enjoy a lot of different things. It’s more a matter of figuring out how to use some combination of those passions to support your family. I’ve done a lot of reading, taken some seminars, and explored several possible avenues as potential “blisses.” Unfortunately, for one reason or another, none of them have panned out. I tried teaching at the local community college. I’ve been offered my old engineering job back. I’ve volunteered on several projects, including service projects. I’ve even looked into real estate and stock market investing, right before both crashed. While the learning was valuable, the end destination was never the magic panacea I was hoping for. Something was always missing: time with my family, flexibility, stability, service to humanity…
Baha’u’llah told us that “any work performed in the spirit of service is exalted to the level of worship.” That could be anything from mopping floors to running a mega-corporation. As long as the work is done to the utmost of one’s ability, with the attitude towards that work being one of wanting to improve the lot of humanity, then it is just as praiseworthy as going to Church, or sitting in meditation, praying. I decided I wanted to find a job that lets me serve humanity in some fashion, preferably directly through the Baha’i Faith.
Elsewhere, I’ve listed the requirements of “my perfect job,” including that it must “engage my passions.” As long as those passions are engaged, I will have a job that I can look forward to doing, rather than doing it because I must. Serving humanity is one those passions. I really want to do something that will make the world a better place, in a rather concrete, tangible way, and will hopefully outlast my little time here on earth.
And that is Clue #7: My new career will allow me to serve humanity through the Baha’i Faith.
Verdanta 