Inspired by my cyber twin in her covered wagon with the cell phone, and dreaming of horses galloping through paintings, I awoke this morning musing over (and YES I did write three whole pages about ) the value of Productive Work.
It is my belief that what makes a society civilized is the valuing of each individual member. All God's critters got a place in the choir.....and not just to sing backup to the Spotlight Divas of the world. What makes me happy and feeling centered is to someone else absolute drudgery. I love to knit..to see the fabric growing from an idea in my brain. To clothe myself in an idea of my own making is the best therapy I know. My sister can't bear the thought of sitting still for that long working on utilitarian clothing when one can waltz right into Nordstrom's and find the PERFECT sweater in less than five minutes. We are equally able to rationalize our chosen therapy...(don't get us started if you don't have a couple of hours to listen :)
On a deeper level, when people freak out because the great joy in my life has turned out to be a devotion to developmentally disabled people, I have stopped trying to give them the answer they want to hear. I tell them the Truth as I know it.
I would much rather spend my time with people who are authentically alive. Who claim their air space and are willing to share it freely.
Parenting, mentoring, teaching, writing, painting, gardening, knitting,being a compassionate citizen of the world is Meaningful Work. Full of Meaning. Rich, deep, vibrantly colored, euphoric meaning. Paperwork has to be done and drudgery must be waded through, but I will never again apologize for the things that make my heart sing.
I sound my barbaric YOP over the rooftops of the world.....
xox
You set a wonderful example, Greta. And the Dr. Suess reference will haunt me today--as I try to remember which story contained YOP. Horton hears a Who?
Posted by: Kim | September 30, 2003 at 08:09 AM
Hey Twinsky,
First of all, I love your pioneer heart! And, holy cow -- I was just thinking about what I'm going to blog today and your thoughts are playing very nicely with mine. So cool.
Posted by: Pioneer Melissa | September 30, 2003 at 08:54 AM
Yop, it was Horton all right, A+ for Kim!
More seriously, this is an issue I'm very much wrestling with myself. Recognizing that a lot of my life involves accommodating others, I find myself pondering what I can do to be more authentic. I really agree with you, Greta -- the world would be a more balanced place if we all had more courage to be ourselves, AND if we would be more tolerant of others' paths.
Posted by: Debbie | September 30, 2003 at 08:59 AM
It's a "yawp," and I'm pretty sure it was Whitman!
Posted by: poetry geek | September 30, 2003 at 09:43 AM
Sing out, sister! And thanks be for you who have truly found meaning in your work. I'm not at 100%, but enough that I'm happy in it. For now, anyway. But you and Melissa are getting me thinking (again) . . .
Posted by: Maggi | September 30, 2003 at 02:04 PM
Whitman, with a southern accent. Dearly love Theodore Geisel, but this was a song of myself, not an elephant :)
Love this game....
Posted by: greta | September 30, 2003 at 02:50 PM