Thursday, December 5, 2013

What do you really, really want to do...

Here's the question of the day... What do you really, really want to do?

Have you seen the commercial for retirement planning where the guy asks people what would they be or do if money, education and time were not a consideration. I saw it for the first time yesterday and found myself without a response. 

Most of my life, I thought my dream job was writing. But yesterday when that was not the first thought in my head, and in fact there really wasn't a first thought, it gave me pause. Serious pause. I know with absolute certainty that if money were not a consideration, I would not do the work I do. Not because I hate any aspect of it, but simply because I don't love it. 

I like to be creative. I like making things. Cooking, sewing, crocheting, baking, knitting... I always imagined that I'd have some sort of artistic or creative job. But, I'm good with numbers and computers, which are much more in demand and that's how I ended up doing the work I do.

I once saw a show about a woman who'd been a stay at home wife and mother from the time she was first pregnant. Even after her children were grown and had families of her own, she never thought of going back to the career she had. The interviewer asked her about that and she said with complete and total ease, that being a wife and mother was her true purpose and that it had transformed as her children grew up didn't change the fact that it was her purpose. For her there was no going back.

Why does this snippet of an interview stick with me, years later? I'll tell you... this woman, even in the face of the interviewer who was clearly looking down his nose at her "non-occupation", was assured in her choice. When he asked the question, you could see her 'wheels' turning and she responded so genuinely to him that I wholeheartedly believed her. She meant it and she sticks with me because I want that surety. I don't want the same work she does, I want the confidence in my choices.

So, does it mean anything that I didn't have a response to a commercial? Of course, I think no it doesn't. But some part of me is thinking about it, and thus this post.

I know there are people who ponder these things, too. So if you are reading this and have any insight to share, please do! I'm curious.



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Thank you for sharing your kind thoughts!