His Life’s Work
What’s so great about passion in a career. Don’t you think that even those people who profess passion in their work sometimes experience burn-out, depression, sorrow for another vocation? Don’t you think Ed wishes he could have been a truck driver or a welder or an insurance adjuster sometimes? Do you think he REALLY wakes up — every — single — morning — grateful to be a singer/songwriter/stud yet AGAIN? Maybe this is just skepticism speaking here, but I don’t think it’s possible to be that joyous in life, to be gleeful every day in your chosen life’s work. There must be some twinges of longing or pang of jealousy even among the perfectly suited.
Body v. Soul
Bodily speaking, I’m pretty sure I’m alive because I’m breathing (sort of) and farting and eating and drinking. I’m confident my physical self is here somewhere. Spiritually speaking, I’m pretty sure I’m either dead or dormant. There’s not a lot of much going on in here. There’s an occasional stirring of some kind or other, but generally it just lies here. Nothing. Not much in the way of feeling, opinions, abstract thought, etc. You know, those things that require a spirit or soul. Did I leave it somewhere, sometime? Did I kill it with sloth? Greed? Online shopping and internet surfing? Did it wither from lack of attention, lack of affection? Like some poor houseplant somewhere? What would stir my soul? Bring it back to life? Certainly not anything physical. I’ve gorged on physicality this weekend, and that didn’t do it. Rest? Certainly I couldn’t have been more restful. Water and light? While it may be true I didn’t get much of either this weekend, I’m not sure my soul is THAT much like a houseplant. GIVING! That has to be the answer. I’ve read over and over that the only way to feel any sense of worth is to be in service to others. My spirit knew that too. That must be why I spent two hours this morning browsing the volunteer opportunities pages of the United Way website.