"You missed your calling!"

[catherine]

Rosa, your experience of awareness is similar to mine.
One day, I was reading about a woman's intense gratitude in a refugee camp who had a gallon of safe water delivered daily to her. This one gallon was for all her drinking, cooking and cleaning for the day. She didn't have to risk being assaulted on the way to obtain contaminated water. I walked over to my sink and turned on my tap and the water flowed. Whenever I feel down, deprived or any sense of lack, I walk to the sink and turn on my tap just for moment and am filled with gratitude for my privileged life.

Thank you for sharing that.

[jp1]

Getting back to the idea of callings, this guy has found his calling. (yes, I know it's another tiny house video from Kirsten Dirksen...) He built his first tiny home out of necessity. Was good at it. Now he's amazing at it because he runs a company that makes them and has learned from every house he's built. And along the way he self-taught himself CAD software so that he can make even better houses. Truly amazing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TYgbcUbFSk0

Personally I've never had a "calling". There are things I'm good at. I can underwrite cyber insurance on par with anyone in the industry. Had an interesting conversation the other day with a non-insurance friend where she asked for examples of why/how I'm good at it. So I tossed out a few examples of submissions that had come across my desk that day and asked her thoughts on whether I should write them, what I should charge for them, etc. She didn't have a clue for things that are second nature to me. But is it a calling? I don't think so. I don't LOVE doing it. Nor do I hate doing it. I just do it because I'm good at it and get paid decently for my efforts. But I'm not making a difference in the world unless you subscribe to a professional friend's joking comment once when I asked how he was. "I'm fantastic! Doing god's work, transferring risk!" And jokes aside, I suppose he's right. Target's data breach 7 years ago ended up being a $300 million dollar disaster for them. The $100 million of cyber insurance they had didn't save them from bankruptcy, they would have survived without it, but it certainly didn't hurt. And today I imagine they have a much bigger tower of insurance to better weather another disaster. But honestly, I'm just utilizing a skill developed over the past 12 years to get a nice paycheck. And that's ok to me. At least I'm not causing harm in the world either.

[Tammy]

“Where are you with your calling?
Have you followed your bliss?
How has living a simple life helped/hindered that?
Do feel you are still listening for your calling?

If you truly followed your bliss, where would that take you? What unfinished business do you feel you have in terms of living your own unique life?“

I’ve enjoyed reading this thread. It’s an interesting time to think about this, with my unexpected career ending.

The one constant in my life has been that I really like and have empathy for people, but only one at a time and not constantly. I need time alone to recharge.

This translated into enjoying my kids and grandkids, but not really enjoying teaching Sunday school or volunteering for the church nursery. I did those things often because my kids used those services. But I like kids one on one much better.

I find kids under the age of 8-10 absolutely entertaining when they hang out with me as we baked cookies or dug potatoes from the garden. I like working with them and talking with them, not coddling them. They have lots of great questions.

It also translated into coffee or a movie with one friend at a time. Over the years I hosted many parties/barbecues with 30-50 people at my house because that’s my husband’s love. But I didn’t enjoy it so much. I just helped out on the party because I love my husband.

I was the person at work who the new people would seek out to get their questions answered. I was the senior in high school who sat with the lonely sophomore at lunch cause I cared about them, to the confusion of my circle of senior friends. I almost never went to parties. Too loud and too many people. The one time I was in a night club I hated it. My feet hurt and I couldn’t hear what anyone was trying to say to me. I’ve never even liked loud bars or restaurants. I want to be able to have a quiet conversation.

Maybe I should have been a therapist. A social worker once told me that I’m more therapist than nurse.

But I don’t regret things. Being a good nurse supervisor and manager these last several years made me happy. It wasn’t easy work but I felt like I usually was able to make things better for the people who reported to me.

I’m really looking forward to more time with my grandkids soon.

[catherine]

“Where are you with your calling?


I’m really looking forward to more time with my grandkids soon.

Enjoying time with grandchildren and providing them with your wisdom and presence is certainly a worthy calling. I've talked about the role my elderly great-aunt had in my life when she took me in every summer at her beach cottage, which was such a welcome respite from the chaos of my then-alcoholic family home. She was a role mode in every way. Classy, funny, and curious, she instilled routine and order in my life, and nurtured my gifts, teaching me how to sew for instance. I pray to her with gratitude every day.

So, Tammy, it sounds like you are ready to continue to fulfill that calling in your life by spending time with your grandkids, and don't ever think they won't be changed people for it.

[happystuff]

Tammy, not to take away from your kids and grandkids, but if you ever want to take it just a little further, there is also Big Brother/Big Sister - definitely one-on-one.

[razz]

Tammy, not to take away from your kids and grandkids, but if you ever want to take it just a little further, there is also Big Brother/Big Sister - definitely one-on-one.

I agree. I served in BBBS for 5 years and loved it working in a school setting with the little guy that I mentored from kindergarten age. It was fun watching him bloom into an 11 year old with opinions and faith in himself and being part of the team that assisted that development.
That said, I had to resign this year as the covid protocols made it difficult to continue. Grandkids are a whole other delight to help become all that they can be.

[Tammy]

Good ideas - thanks all

[Gardnr]

I knew at age 9 that I "HAD" to work in the operating room. I started with a 2 semester program to be a Scrub Tech (responsible for all of the sterile instruments and accouterments needed). I progressed with my RN associate and then Bachelor degree. I grew into Leadership. After 20 years, I was offered the position to build/Direct a privately owned Surgery Center for 15 Orthopods. BLISS! I had a fantastic team. We assembled our facility together and had 5 funfilled weeks together building teamwork and our focus of excellent patient care in a comfortable compassionate environment. We got great feedback from our patients and our Docs were happy . Our efficiency was high and we went home happy and tired every day. The best and most rewarding 8 years of my career. (It was sold to a local hospital at that point and I ran the facility for another 10y before retiring).

All the while, I developed my artistic side. I knit, crochet, cross-stitch and quilt. I make many community donation quilts and also donate quilts to fundraisers. This is how I now serve my community.

Hubster and I celebrated our 40th anniversary in June-well, we hung out at home instead of taking our 2 week trip to Calgary and the nearby national parks.

Life has been good to us and we count our Blessings every day. Happiness, Health and our needs are met.