I'm reading the book AGELESS SOUL by THOMAS MOORE. On page 156 he says about a job that he had as a college student -
- "In my memory this is the least soulful job I ever had. And yet, I did learn a lot about myself and about the world of labor from that brief experience."
My mind immediately traveled back to my first job after I graduated from college - a temporary situation until I could secure a full-time teaching job (my college degree is in ART EDUCATION).
So, just married and living in LITITZ, PA, I took a job at a local glorified Farmer's Market so to speak, in their "DESIGN DEPT". We made "artsy-crafty things" to sell in the store, such as dried flower arrangements, terrariums, sand art in bottles, etc. This fed my need to be working with my hands creatively in an artsy way.
After a few months, I started up a program there of Saturday morning CLASSES FOR CHILDREN, teaching them to do these same projects. I then convinced my boss to "let me promote the store" by taking those classes "on the road" to SCHOOL FAIRS - where I just happened to meet the SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS of the nearby COCALICO SCHOOL DISTRICT. This gave me the "in" I needed for a high school teaching job - I had made a good impression.
From this temporary first job after college, I learned that I had the skills to CREATE MY OWN REALITY. I also learned some things that I DID NOT WANT in my REALITY.
At the "Farmer's Market" we had to PUNCH A TIME-CLOCK every day when we arrived and every day when we left. I HATED THAT. IT INSULTED MY INTEGRITY. I particularly didn't like the time-clock concept because it felt as if I was NOT being TRUSTED to arrive and leave on time - like they had to monitor my movements. Boy oh boy, I got a real attitude (in my mind) about that and decided that I DID NOT EVER want to work anywhere again where I was being monitored in such a way.
Something else really stuck with me that I had already learned at one of my part-time jobs in college at a local variety store like a K-MART (perhaps it WAS a K-MART......). At orientation, we were each given a CLEAR PLASTIC "WALLET" to carry our personal items around in while working. The rest of our personal items were locked in lockers near the employee entrance. That too drove me OUT OF MY MIND. I resented the feeling that I couldn't be TRUSTED carrying my own purse. Did they think I was going to steal something from the store?? I quit 3 days later.....
As I think back on both of these early job experiences, the way I behave isn't necessarily the way the rest of the world does. There ARE dishonest and lazy individuals out there. So I can NOW see the reasoning for companies to implement such tactics - to keep an eye on all employees AND the store inventory. But what a rude awakening it was, in my early 20's, to discover that the rest of the world wasn't necessarily HONEST and ON TIME, and therefore, protective measures had to be adopted.
Basically, as did THOMAS MOORE (mentioned above), I too learned a lot about MYSELF from these 2 rather insignificant jobs. Being the FREE-SPIRIT that I am, I realized that one of the most important qualities for a job for me (and also a relationship) would be PERSONAL FREEDOM. I didn't want someone checking on my every move AND I wanted a JOB/CAREER where I would be TRUSTED to be responsible for myself.
Those 2 "requirements" didn't happen while teaching HIGH SCHOOL ART. But after 4 years of teaching, and learning additional things about myself, I was fortunate enough to begin my 35-YEAR CAREER in SALES - responsible for my own HOURS, my own ACTIONS and my own EARNINGS - yes, 100% commission income.
Well, THIS has turned into a RANT....... pardon me, as I got carried away sauntering down MEMORY LANE, thanks to ONE SENTENCE in the book I'm reading........
JOAN
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