Service

“Work harder, not smarter.” “Don’t reinvent the wheel.” “What if money were no object?” “Follow your heart.”

What happens when you aren’t sure what your passion is and where your heart wants to go? What happens after 20 years of teaching and you don’t want to go back…not because of the kids but because of the excessive drama and negativity of peers.

I’ve taken a leap of faith with my family and moved to a new town with no job leads. For the first time in my career I don’t have a job and the school year will start in a few short weeks, and I’m fine with that. I’m appreciating the fact that I can work harder and smarter, I can reinvent myself, and I can follow my heart…money will come in time. My biggest challenge is figuring out which path to take. Is teaching my true passion or is it just a habit, a way of life, something I am comfortable with and am good at?  I know what I like to do but had to ask my husband what he thinks I am passionate about. I just couldn’t come up with a tidy answer to fit in the box today. “Baking…baking makes you happy, especially when you do it for others. Actually, doing things for others is when you are most happy.”

He’s right. I like doing things for others, it gives me a sense of peace and accomplishment, and it brings me joy. Our diocesan theme this year is Called to Serve, something I feel was amazingly easy for me to fall into as a camp teacher. We spent a week talking to students about how to serve those with varying needs; those who are hungry, suffering, needy, and lonely. We talked about serving those we were with and those we would meet after leaving camp. We provided a service toolkit with tangible ideas for campers to use as they left. We heard a homily about loving yourself as your neighbor, focusing on yourself more than your neighbor since many of us neglect our own care. Maybe it’s time to listen to what I have been teaching and look for more ways to serve others, to make others happy and in so doing I will know my passion and which path my heart wants to take. I will start by serving my family more rather than having a long commute followed by incredibly long hours at work with just enough time to get home and be exhausted. In serving my family I will be able to serve and care for myself, someone I have neglected to take care of, especially in the last few years. I will find the joy in simple daily tasks and not feel rushed in having to accomplish everything on my list, and complete it all in time to go to bed and rush off to another 12 hour day right away outside the home. My family is my life and my joy will only increase with time better spent with them.