Work is...

Work is…well, the answer for me to the remainder of this question changes, or has changed throughout my life I guess.  I have held several positions in my little lifetime.  I suppose I should say that when answering this question, I am referring to that “thing” that the majority of us “have” to do on a daily basis.  I only know one person who does not “go to work” every day and she is a stay at home mom.  I still think that is work.  But she is fortunate enough to not have to need a paycheck.  Most of us do.

Right now?  Work is paying the debt I owe to society for having and for living my dreams.  It would be nice if that was not the case, but unfortunately it is.  I would love to have my own home.  But I also love the idea that I will be debt free in about a year and a half…like completely.  I am sure I will start over and accumulate more debt as isn’t that the American dream?  I mean you can’t take this shit with you when you go.  I also don’t want to die with a boat load of money either…I am perfectly fine having debt, because it means I have lived…possibly above my means for a period of time, but I wouldn’t change a thing. 

I got a lot of answers to this question.  About what work is…as with all questions I pose, I loved them all.  Very few of us get to say that work is truly what we love to do…and I would say the majority of us are underpaid.  Most of the jobs in this world that people love, for example, social workers, teachers, nursing home, etc. are highly underpaid, but these people also, for the most part, love their jobs. 

I did have a period of my life where I loved what I was doing so much that it never felt like I was going to work.  I was truly blessed for that experience and I fought really hard to get it.  My priorities changed.  Life changed.  I moved.  I moved again.  I will move again. I think as with everything what work is, changes as we get older depending on our circumstances.

I have worked for one person.  I have worked for two people. I have worked for a very large corporation.  I have worked for a Fortune 500 company.  I have worked for a town and its board of directors.  I have worked for myself. I have worked for the 3^rd largest Cruise Company in the world.  They all have their pros and cons.  There is a lot to be sad about being your own boss.  The older I get the more I realize how much I appreciate “not taking work home with me.”  There are a lot of jobs that people do take home with them though.  However, since I am an over thinker, it is healthy for me to have a position that allows me to leave it at the door!

Mostly though, I think work can be summed up as such:

Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.