"Jobs are what people do for a living, many of them for eight hours a day, five days a week, minus vacations, for most their lives. It is tragic to think how few of them have their hearts in it. They work mainly for the purpose of making money enough to enjoy their moments of not working." (F. Buechner "Listening to Your Life" p. 54)
I have had two jobs in my life that I could see that if that had been what I did for all of my life, I'd fully understand what Buechner is saying.
I spent one summer working for the Department of Public Works in my hometown. As a summer job, it actually was somewhat fun. We were done by 4:00 pm, it involved mowing lawn, and frankly there was an awful lot of goofing off. And even when I moved up to being on the garbage truck, the work was a little harder but actually more fascinating. Outside of the physicality of it, though it wasn't all that challenging but it gave me a steady salary. I know I wouldn't feel so romantic about that summer if I had to do the same thing all year round.
I also was a bank teller for a year. That too is something that was necessary at the time, needed health benefits and no Sundays.
What is true of both jobs was how much of a sense of TGIF there was. How people couldn't wait for the day to be over, and how often the day dragged.
I have known folks who have to work those kind of jobs. They have bills to pay. They look forward to their vacations and retirement. But the day to day grind seems rather joyless.
I'm thankful for my work, not only because it helps pay the bills, but because I really do enjoy it, 95% of the time. I too will retire at some point, but it isn't the driving force for me at the moment.
If you are fortunate to have work that you truly love it is a great thing. If you are stuck in "dead end job." Where to quote the Loverboy song "everybody's working for the weekend.," then I hope you have some outlet for your creativity. Something that gives your life meaning and purpose, well beyond paying the bills.
Blessings,
Ed
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