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Today's
quotation:
Whatever your
occupation while in your physical body, remember it is a
form of service. However humble or even humdrum your work may be
to you, it is your special appointment, and through your work on earth
you can make your contribution to the happiness of all.
White Eagle
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Today's
Meditation:
I think
that too many people don't really think about the work
that they're going to do in this world as a service to
their fellow human beings, or to the other animals and
plants that live here. Rather, they take the
first job that they happen to get and they stick with it
because they're afraid of losing the income, of losing
seniority, of losing benefits such as insurance, of having
to start over with something new. And their work
becomes drudgery, something that they do to pay the bills,
but not something that they enjoy because they know that
they're making a positive mark on the lives of others.
I've
been lucky to become a teacher, but that blessing is, of
course, mixed. While the job is extremely fulfilling
most of the time, it's also filled with frustrations that
people don't face in other jobs. Students often
dislike us for no reason, the pay is generally quite poor,
we get blamed for all sorts of things that aren't our
fault, etc., etc. But the fact is that mine is a job
of service, and I'm able to help people to learn and to
grow and to develop confidence and self-esteem. And
when I look at that work through that lens, the job most
certainly is a "special appointment."
When
a tooth broke recently, I was extremely glad that there
were dentists who were willing to serve me and fulfill the
need of putting in a crown. I was glad that people
worked in insurance so that all that stuff could be taken
care of. When I go to the grocery store, I'm very
appreciative of the people who stock the goods-- have you
ever been in a poorly stocked store? When I'm
online, the work of many, many people who established and
maintain the connections I need turns out to be a great
service to me.
How
we look at the work we do can determine to a great deal
the amount of effort and energy we put into it. When
we realize that we are serving other people and that what
we do is very important to them-- even if only for a few
moments at a time-- we can approach our work with a
positive attitude and give to it all that we can in order
to do it well. The effort we put forth to get good
at what we do, and to maintain that high level of quality,
is definitely worth what it costs us.
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