Today has been a long day. I woke early, as usual, wrote in my journal, ran some errands and went to work. I am grateful that I have work to go to. The job I have is not in my field, it is in an area I never studied for and have virtually no background in. At the time I was brought on contract with them, I knew very little about what they wanted me to do for them. The reason I got hired in the first place was because a friend knew I was looking for work and her husband, also a self-employed consultant wanted to hire me to do some administrative work for him. He in turn introduced me to people he worked with at this nonprofit company and the next thing I knew I was brought in on a contract with them.
Working for the company has been a humbling experience–I felt very ignorant of the nature of the work I was doing (housing development) and although I consider myself at least moderately intelligent, there were times when I understood very little of the industry language they were using. They might as well have been speaking Finnish (no offense to the Finns) for all that I understood of it; but I did manage to pick up enough of the language and concepts to do a creditable job of everything they’ve asked me to do so far. I started working there in February and while I understand a little better than I had at first, I still get fairly lost when they speak their mysterious language of loan closings and resolutions and equity investors and such. Nevertheless I am grateful for those days when I know I am accomplishing something and making the jobs of the people I work with a little easier by taking over some small tasks for them. I’ve never had much of an ego about my work, about being a “boss” or having a doctorate. And that’s a good thing, because in my current role I am not a boss, am not using my higher degree training, and am not doing earth shattering, awe-inspiring work. But I am grateful to be using my skills and my mind to good purpose.
While I am continuing to seek employment that is more closely aligned with my educational background, experience and skills, I am also working hard and giving my best at the job I currently have. I am grateful to have it, given the challenges so many Americans face finding work. When I get discouraged at not having had full-time, benefited employment for nearly 18 months, I hear about people who have been out of work for three and four years. I do not take for granted the work that I do have, and even as I ponder my what’s next my current job will factor into the equation.
I am grateful to be able to contribute my time and energy to my contract work, as well as the volunteer work I’m doing at the Berkeley Food Pantry. While I might wish that my situation were a little more stable, I’m grateful nonetheless for the stability I do have. I am grateful to my friend who helped me get the job and for the people I work with and for who were willing to overlook my ignorance of the industry and let me prove I could do good work. And I am grateful for the gifts and skills I do have that I bring with me every day I go to work. It’s a good thing.
