Should be a day devoted to gratitude, which necessarily involves contentment. Please try to remember today the many things that we have and enjoy and often take for granted rather than focusing on what you "want." Want stems from discontentment, which is antithetical to gratitude. People who don't have want they want are usually unhappy people, and unhappy people are usually thankful.
So, focus on what you have and be thankful!
Thursday, November 25, 2010
Keeping focus
Life will throw curves at all of us. It is inevitable; we can and should bank on it. Whether it is the loss of a loved one, the loss of a job, a decline in health, the Giants winning the World Series, losing money, making money, or whatever else.
These things should not be a surprise - well, perhaps with the exception of the Giants winning the world series in 2010. We are mortal: we live, we die, and in the middle we do all sorts of silly and unnecessary things that subtract from the quality of life, in my humble opinion. Or maybe it is just I. [side note, yes, I insist on proper grammar at times, even when it sounds odd] For instance, we - by which I mean I - fret about family, career, money, friends, homes, clothes, how to write a witty Facebook posting, popularity, being a good employee/spouse/parent/friend/fill in the blank. With the exception of relationships and duty, I am of the opinion that the rest is really insignificant in the big scheme of things.
Recently, after some curves, I have come once again to a very simple truth. That is that work serves certain limited purposes but should never define who I am. While I happen to work as an attorney, being an attorney does not necessarily define me. I could just as easily, well after more schooling, be a pharmacist, an engineer, an executive, etc. I hope to never allow my occupation to trump my role as a husband and father and will not sacrifice my family for career advancement. Now, I am exploring other lines of work outside of the law (and still keeping open the possibility of practice law), but my hope is twofold: (1) to provide for my family, and (2) to do something that I enjoy. These are pretty basic, of course, but it seems like the hustle and bustle of life keeps us from the simple things: do something you enjoy; if you don't enjoy it, try to find something you enjoy about it; do it to the best of your ability; keep a positive attitude; provide for family; savor every moment you have with those whom you love.
I've spent 5+ years so far as an attorney and counting. Much of that time has been spent unfortunately increasing the misery of others - I work for various banks, and people are increasingly behind the economic eight ball. I sue these people for the banks, try to work with them where I can, sympathize with them, foreclose, evict, repossess, etc. It's depressing work, which has unfortunately jaded me despite my best efforts to resist. I always try to remind these people that this too shall pass and would much rather encourage and assist them, rather than the banks. But then again, banks are people too - or at least they employ people. Nonetheless, I think that I am now ready to do something other than work for banks. Hopefully something will turn up that will allow me to (1) provide for my family, and (2) do something that I enjoy. Beyond that, I am keeping all options open and reminding myself that I lead a very blessed life.
These things should not be a surprise - well, perhaps with the exception of the Giants winning the world series in 2010. We are mortal: we live, we die, and in the middle we do all sorts of silly and unnecessary things that subtract from the quality of life, in my humble opinion. Or maybe it is just I. [side note, yes, I insist on proper grammar at times, even when it sounds odd] For instance, we - by which I mean I - fret about family, career, money, friends, homes, clothes, how to write a witty Facebook posting, popularity, being a good employee/spouse/parent/friend/fill in the blank. With the exception of relationships and duty, I am of the opinion that the rest is really insignificant in the big scheme of things.
Recently, after some curves, I have come once again to a very simple truth. That is that work serves certain limited purposes but should never define who I am. While I happen to work as an attorney, being an attorney does not necessarily define me. I could just as easily, well after more schooling, be a pharmacist, an engineer, an executive, etc. I hope to never allow my occupation to trump my role as a husband and father and will not sacrifice my family for career advancement. Now, I am exploring other lines of work outside of the law (and still keeping open the possibility of practice law), but my hope is twofold: (1) to provide for my family, and (2) to do something that I enjoy. These are pretty basic, of course, but it seems like the hustle and bustle of life keeps us from the simple things: do something you enjoy; if you don't enjoy it, try to find something you enjoy about it; do it to the best of your ability; keep a positive attitude; provide for family; savor every moment you have with those whom you love.
I've spent 5+ years so far as an attorney and counting. Much of that time has been spent unfortunately increasing the misery of others - I work for various banks, and people are increasingly behind the economic eight ball. I sue these people for the banks, try to work with them where I can, sympathize with them, foreclose, evict, repossess, etc. It's depressing work, which has unfortunately jaded me despite my best efforts to resist. I always try to remind these people that this too shall pass and would much rather encourage and assist them, rather than the banks. But then again, banks are people too - or at least they employ people. Nonetheless, I think that I am now ready to do something other than work for banks. Hopefully something will turn up that will allow me to (1) provide for my family, and (2) do something that I enjoy. Beyond that, I am keeping all options open and reminding myself that I lead a very blessed life.
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Initial Random Musings
I've been thinking recently... what would I do if money were no option. Assuming that all expenses were covered, how would I spend my waking moments? I figure that this is as decent a gauge as any to any the question of what job would be ideal.
After all, I want to make a difference and to enjoy what I do. Endless recreation would become tedious eventually, I suppose, as would simply indulging my whims. Instead, there would need to be a purpose to which I could commit myself - perhaps some social problem that needs to be addressed. This would at least allow one to commit to something larger than self.
These thoughts arise periodically throughout my life. After 5+ years of practicing law, the question remains, "why?" Sure, I'm making money and providing for my family, but there are countless other ways of doing so - most of which don't involve recording time in 6-minute increments and beating up on others, just to get money. In short, I suppose that I've come to the realization that I would not be in law but for the following reasons: (1) I am in law right now, (2) it provides a paycheck, (3) I need money to pay expenses. If I had another way to pay expenses, something that met my needs (not wants), then I would be fine doing that line of work and leaving law behind.
Ultimately, what we do reflects to some degree on who we are and what we value. Herein lies the problem for me at least. I value my role as a father and a husband more than I do that as an attorney. My job allows me to provide for my family, but should it not do more as well?
Hopefully I'll figure it out sometime soon, but for now I'm looking around and no longer enamored of working as a practicing attorney - at least, not where I have been for the past 5 years. Here is hoping that something comes along - whether it is working at a think tank, non-profit, or simply working for a local business that does not suing people. After all, it is a bit hard to enjoy the work of your hands when it involves beating up people for lenders and those who have money.
After all, I want to make a difference and to enjoy what I do. Endless recreation would become tedious eventually, I suppose, as would simply indulging my whims. Instead, there would need to be a purpose to which I could commit myself - perhaps some social problem that needs to be addressed. This would at least allow one to commit to something larger than self.
These thoughts arise periodically throughout my life. After 5+ years of practicing law, the question remains, "why?" Sure, I'm making money and providing for my family, but there are countless other ways of doing so - most of which don't involve recording time in 6-minute increments and beating up on others, just to get money. In short, I suppose that I've come to the realization that I would not be in law but for the following reasons: (1) I am in law right now, (2) it provides a paycheck, (3) I need money to pay expenses. If I had another way to pay expenses, something that met my needs (not wants), then I would be fine doing that line of work and leaving law behind.
Ultimately, what we do reflects to some degree on who we are and what we value. Herein lies the problem for me at least. I value my role as a father and a husband more than I do that as an attorney. My job allows me to provide for my family, but should it not do more as well?
Hopefully I'll figure it out sometime soon, but for now I'm looking around and no longer enamored of working as a practicing attorney - at least, not where I have been for the past 5 years. Here is hoping that something comes along - whether it is working at a think tank, non-profit, or simply working for a local business that does not suing people. After all, it is a bit hard to enjoy the work of your hands when it involves beating up people for lenders and those who have money.
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