Lessons in Gratitude Day 196

Today has been one of nonstop activity, and I am exhausted–pleasantly so, but exhausted nonetheless. In addition to the usual Wednesday work at the Berkeley Food Pantry I had a number of significantly meaningful conversations. I spent the better part of the day talking to a number of different people about the theme of dreams and life purpose. It appears that this subject, topic, notion isn’t going to let me go and I’m not going to let go of it. It’s too important. I love the idea of having a dream, a vision for our lives, a life purpose that also aligns with the gifts and talents with which we’ve each been bestowed. I believe that is out there for each of us and a lucky few of us actually discover that purpose and walk in it.

There’s a quote by educator John Dewey that I’ve loved ever since I discovered it in 1992 while preparing to defend my doctoral dissertation. In Democracy and Education in 1916 he wrote:

To me this sums up an important notion: if we can figure out what we are “fitted to do,” which in my mind means understanding where our passions, interests, and aptitudes match up with a life’s work, and we can find a way to earn a reasonable living doing it, then we’re likely to be happy and/or satisfied in our work. I also want to underscore what he says about how tragic it is either to never figure this out or to go through the paces of life working in a field or area that is not aligned with our passions, interests, and aptitudes. We either drift or are forced into an “uncongenial calling.” In my work in higher education over the past 25 plus years I have sen many student come to college and choose majors/career paths for completely wrong reasons: they think they’ll make lots of money at it, it’s what their mother wants them to study, they’re following in their father’s footsteps. So what if they hate numbers but are majoring in accounting or that their passion is for music but they’re studying pre-med.

Somewhere along the line we give up and take the path of least resistance, making our living doing work we’re capable of doing but that we hate. Or, it doesn’t nourish us, it doesn’t feed our souls and slowly our creativity fades. But here’s the good news–creativity can be rejuvenated. I am grateful this evening for every conversation I’ve had over the past few days that invites and encourages people to think about their dreams and how they are or are not living their dreams. Each conversation helps me solidify what my own dreams are and to begin to outline a plan to move me toward living my dream. Thoreau said, “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined.”  I believe I am coming into a time for striding forward with confidence in the direction of my dreams. Many of us are. We are exploring more intentionally why we are here on the planet right now–what are we are to accomplish, what gifts do we have to share with the world?

I am grateful for all that I am thinking and learning through this exploration. May we all ask these questions of ourselves and with patience and courage listen for the answers–they reside on the inside of us and are there waiting to be discovered. I am looking forward to seeing how this all unfolds in the weeks and months ahead. As long as I have strength and energy I will continue writing this blog, pondering the role that gratitude plays in our following our dreams. Stay tuned!