I have worked since the summer I turned 18. This summer, I’ll turn 62. If I’m honest, I doubt I ever looked forward to going to work. I guess I never stumbled into the job that was meant for me. I’ve always been ok with that circumstance. Work paid the bills, and if I was lucky, it didn’t get in the way of life. I know plenty of people who feel the same way. I also know people who enjoy their jobs. They say crazy things like. “If I won the lottery, I wouldn’t quit my job.” Leaving those in my tribe of the discontented to wonder why someone would pony up the money for a lottery ticket, if they were just going to keep working? We have never understood the need to work beyond the financial.
There are also a tribe of workers who believe one should be happy in their job. To be discontented at work is a sign of a lack of moral fortitude. As the folks in my tribe see a job as a way to get by, these folks see a divine calling. Their often-spouted mantra is— “If you love your job, you’ll never work a day in your life.” These folks are often self-employed, or near the top of org charts. People who believe they make a difference in the lives of others can end up here as well: doctors, lawyers, teachers of all kinds, and preachers to name a few. Among these folks are those that believe no one can do the job as well as them. I have often differed with their opinion. Teachers seem susceptible of this trait, but I once had a friend point out to me, that if you spend years having large groups of people write don’t everything you say, you’d feel important too. When I look back at the five years I taught as teaching fellow, all I remember is the fear, and a fervent hope that I wasn’t wasting the time of those assembled in front of me. I tried to discourage them from writing down what I said, while hoping somehow their writing could improve. After she graduated and student from my first class dropped by my office to thank me, saying it was the best one she had taken. I thanked her, but apologized on the behalf of the University, for this truly should not have been the case.
This difference between my friend’s observation about the job of teaching and my actual experience of teaching, illustrates the one the great truth of work which I believe I have uncovered, everyone thinks everyone else’s job is easy, normally until they try it. And all though different jobs may require different amounts of effort, I really doubt there are any easy jobs. It’s been my experiences employers are never too happy to just fork over money for no reason.
In poems that follow, I try to remember the vast majority of the jobs I’ve held, try to take a look at the concept of work and try to have some fun while doing so. To the few who will read this book, many thanks for your time and support.
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