Thinking

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I have been thinking lately about the philosophy, "Do what you love...and the rest will follow."

Seems like a fine enough philosophy.

However, I get stuck on the first part. "Do what you love..." What exactly do I love to do?

This is a very interesting question for me because some of the first things that come to my mind involve nothing of a responsible sort. How in the world would doing what *I* love ever work out to be productive, effective, and responsible in the grander scheme of my life and well being?

For instance, I love music. I love sports. I love food and cooking. However, I am not good at music. I am not good at sports. I have no training in cooking. Does the above philosophy mean that I should drop what I'm doing now and get further training in these things so that I can become proficient enough to do them vocationally?

Or, does it mean that I should integrate those things that I love into the vocation I have presently chosen? After all, I also really love God, South Asia, travel, and being able to dedicate my life to a much larger cause. Can I integrate my other loves into these more 'stable' or 'professional' loves?

Contrary to what many people may think, I do NOT love office work. I do NOT love organizing things. I do NOT love writing reports and filling out forms and completing grant applications. I do NOT like taking notes. I do NOT like resolving conflicts (well... the resolving part I love, the conflict part I do not love...)

Integration seems like a possible idea. However, I don't know the details of how to make that happen, especially at this stage in my life with two small children in tow. Of course I can definitely impart my love of music, sports, food, etc., on to them, and I think that process has already begun. They both love to sing, know who Rafael Nadal is, and tonight they even asked me for a 'garbage bowl' while peeling a carrot. (My good friend Rachael Ray would be so proud!) Of course they also love God, love South Asia, and definitely love to travel.

Now the tricky part... integrating it all together. Maybe I'll live vicariously through Clark and Claire some day. Maybe a later life stage will hold something special and very surprising in store for me personally.

But for now, I'm thinking. Thinking.

~lk

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