Today on Facebook, one of my longtime friends wrote,
[He] had a great talk with one of his young students last night about careers and the future. During the talk the revelation hit, “I enjoyed my career in IT for the most part, but if someone came along any time during it and offered me ten million dollars with the condition that I could never have an IT job again, I would have leaped at it. In contrast, if I was offered that money but I could never fence or have anything to do with fencing again, I would refuse it on the spot.” Sounds like a good litmus test for figuring out one’s vocation in life.
Right then, it hit me: The only thing I would refuse $10,000,000 for would be leaving Adam. I’d be willing to change my life in almost any other way. I don’t feel passionately about anything the way my friend does about fencing — except for my marriage.
I used to feel that way about music, back when I was performing with an orchestra at Sewanee Summer Music Festival — way back when I was 14 and 15. But it’s been so long since I was part of a symphony. It was half a lifetime ago, and back then, honestly, my parents were paying for the privilege of symphony being my day and night, even if I was constantly working on stuff.
There are a few things that bring me real happiness nowadays: songwriting, cooking well (when I can), going to karaoke sometimes, and designing architecture and decorating it in Sims 3. (Yay for virtual dollhouses and creating towns for my electronic paper dolls. It helps stave off boredom.) I’ve started crushing cities and rebuilding them the way I want them.
I also am participating in coupon trains and doing my best to bring value to the family. I feel like there’s a lot that goes into being a homemaker, and I’ve just hit the tip of the iceberg.
BTW, if you haven’t been to A Full Cup to print off coupons, then you’re spending money that you don’t need to. Just Sayin. 🙂
Life is pretty good right now. I think the most important part of what my friend’s story and advice really impart are this:
In It For The Parking 