Ever feel like you missed your calling?

[AFeedz]

I'm interested!! I was very involved with the non profit world when I lived in DC, would love to get involved in that kind of thing again in whatever way I can.

Awesome I'll PM you with some info about it mañana. Whether we can find somethig to do with mine or not though, that's a great way to be able to do what you want while you're working on your degree: volunteering at children's homes, big brothers/big sisters, child community outreach programs.

Hanging out with the boys and girls at children's homes can be so heartbreaking, but if you go enough that you form relationships with them it's so rewarding. Because they're without parents either permanently or temporarily, they're so grateful and happy when someone comes around they can depend on and who shows them a little extra attention.

 

[nefertiti]

Awesome I'll PM you with some info about it mañana. Whether we can find somethig to do with mine or not though, that's a great way to be able to do what you want while you're working on your degree: volunteering at children's homes, big brothers/big sisters, child community outreach programs.

Hanging out with the boys and girls at children's homes can be so heartbreaking, but if you go enough that you form relationships with them it's so rewarding. Because they're without parents either permanently or temporarily, they're so grateful and happy when someone comes around they can depend on and who shows them a little extra attention.

I did an event here last fall that was a big sister/little sister (or brother) fishing tournament - which was basically really just a fun day at the beach while some kids played organized games and some kids learned how to fish. The kids there were all in homes that sheltered children coming from abusive situations where there were no suitable guardians available, or their situation was so dangerous that they basically had to be hidden.

One little girl latched onto me and she was my buddy for all the races - three legged race, leap frog, etc. Then she collected shells to give me. At the end of the day she hugged me and said, "you're my friend..." I died a little bit. Lord only knows what her situation was, but she still had so much spirit and sweetness, along with an obviously desperate need to connect and be loved. I wanted to pick her up in my arms and tell her everything would be ok.

 

[PICK3]

btw, not having a "calling" may be the biggest, and only regret I have.

Like everyone, I do some things better than others, but I've never excelled in any one area to the extent of being driven to pursue anything specifically. My occupation has always been a "means to an end". Never could identify a passion that I could realistically make into my vocation.

I truly envy people who identify their dream early and pursue it whole heartedly. The person who says, "I've always wanted to be a teacher, or engineer, or policeman" and contently goes about their life growing in their chosen profession.

If I had the opportunity to do it all over again, I still wouldn't know what direction to go in.

 

[Lambruh]

I personally think it would be extremely exhausting emotionally to be a drug/addict counselor of some type. Being that 10% of actual addicts ever recover, I don't think personally I could give my heart day in and out to see 90% of the people continue with the same behavior. However my worst asset is my lack of patience anyways

 

[calveless wonder]

I personally think it would be extremely exhausting emotionally to be a drug/addict counselor of some type. Being that 10% of actual addicts ever recover, I don't think personally I could give my heart day in and out to see 90% of the people continue with the same behavior. However my worst asset is my lack of patience anyways

yeah, that was my thinking as well, but if nef feels she can do that...then by all means she should

 

[nefertiti]

yeah, that was my thinking as well, but if nef feels she can do that...then by all means she should

My patience level is one of my greatest attributes...that combined with the fact that I'm stubborn as hell. I'm a freaking mule when I decide to do something. Those two along with other things I've already mentioned are reasons I feel like that field needs people like me. People who both want to be there and have the tools to withstand it, to be willing to lose six people to reach two.

The recovery rates for EDs are a bit better, too. Not great, but not quite as bleak as that ten percent.

 

[Lumberg]

I did an event here last fall that was a big sister/little sister (or brother) fishing tournament - which was basically really just a fun day at the beach while some kids played organized games and some kids learned how to fish. The kids there were all in homes that sheltered children coming from abusive situations where there were no suitable guardians available, or their situation was so dangerous that they basically had to be hidden.

One little girl latched onto me and she was my buddy for all the races - three legged race, leap frog, etc. Then she collected shells to give me. At the end of the day she hugged me and said, "you're my friend..." I died a little bit. Lord only knows what her situation was, but she still had so much spirit and sweetness, along with an obviously desperate need to connect and be loved. I wanted to pick her up in my arms and tell her everything would be ok.

Crap man, you're gonna make me cry with this ish.

As far as my calling, no I don't feel like I missed my calling, I feel like I'm still discovering new things that I'm good at and where I can make a productive contribution to society and be compensated fairly for it.

I don't think repairing cell phones or doing regulatory impact analysis are my calling per se, but I can do a heck of a lot worse.

 

[nefertiti]

I cherish those shells, lumberg...I have a bunch of little keepsakes like that, that to another person would mean nothing...but I've got memories and people I'll never see again attached to those items. From an NYPD tie clip, to a plastic bracelet, to a mini golf ball, to those shells (and more) - they are on display in my room looking like the most random collection of junk ever lol, but I have more reverence for those items than anything else in my possession.

I guess it's true that not everyone has a "calling"...that one thing that is going to fill them like nothing else does. But I do know I keep coming back to this. It's a good motivational tool to keep me focused on finding real peace instead of the daily struggle it's been even when I've gone months and months without acting out, even if I come out of it and change my mind again lol.

A memory, re: callings

I remember when i was a teenager my dad and I were sitting in a talent agent's office, and my dad had a "real talk" moment with me. He told me that the entertainment industry, theater in particular, was a hard hard life. That the people who made it, the people who lived that life successfully were the people who could do NOTHING else and be happy. That being up on that stage was their life breath, and that's how they got through the times without money, the waiting tables, the rejection at auditions etc....because they had that NEED for what they were doing (he would know, he was an opera singer before he was a pastor). He said, "If you can do nothing else and be happy, let's do this, I will support you and push you in any way I can. But if there is ANYTHING else you can do and be happy, you need to do that. Because otherwise this industry will eat you alive." Obviously I said there were other things, and we walked out that day and I left my broadway star fantasies (lol) in that office. I still miss performing, I miss the thrill of being on stage, but I don't long for it. Christ, I've been all over the place haha. I've wanted to be a lawyer, I've interned with a T1 college sports program, wanted to be on broadway, a ballet dancer; I did banking, I've been teaching scuba diving...The only thing that hasn't changed in all these pursuits is that I've left them behind because they had no real meaning in my life.

 

[shirlene29]

I cherish those shells, lumberg...I have a bunch of little keepsakes like that, that to another person would mean nothing...but I've got memories and people I'll never see again attached to those items. From an NYPD tie clip, to a plastic bracelet, to a mini golf ball, to those shells (and more) - they are on display in my room looking like the most random collection of junk ever lol, but I have more reverence for those items than anything else in my possession.

I guess it's true that not everyone has a "calling"...that one thing that is going to fill them like nothing else does. But I do know I keep coming back to this. It's a good motivational tool to keep me focused on finding real peace instead of the daily struggle it's been even when I've gone months and months without acting out, even if I come out of it and change my mind again lol.

A memory, re: callings

I remember when i was a teenager my dad and I were sitting in a talent agent's office, and my dad had a "real talk" moment with me. He told me that the entertainment industry, theater in particular, was a hard hard life. That the people who made it, the people who lived that life successfully were the people who could do NOTHING else and be happy. That being up on that stage was their life breath, and that's how they got through the times without money, the waiting tables, the rejection at auditions etc....because they had that NEED for what they were doing (he would know, he was an opera singer before he was a pastor). He said, "If you can do nothing else and be happy, let's do this, I will support you and push you in any way I can. But if there is ANYTHING else you can do and be happy, you need to do that. Because otherwise this industry will eat you alive." Obviously I said there were other things, and we walked out that day and I left my broadway star fantasies (lol) in that office. I still miss performing, I miss the thrill of being on stage, but I don't long for it. Christ, I've been all over the place haha. I've wanted to be a lawyer, I've interned with a T1 college sports program, wanted to be on broadway, a ballet dancer; I did banking, I've been teaching scuba diving...The only thing that hasn't changed in all these pursuits is that I've left them behind because they had no real meaning in my life.

its really funny how these sorts of odd little trinkets mean so much to a person....some of the most important things to me that were lost in the fire held almost absolutely no real monetary value but crushed me to lose.
from shells found on the beach in hawaii to an ambulance matchbox I kept on my dresser..a rooster mug a friend gave to me (endless ongoing cock jokes, hah) and a plaque I got from a town years ago for bravery.....a marble someone gave me...finger paints and christmas ornaments my kids made

just a few things off the top of my head

no value...but devastating to lose


weirdly the insurance company recognized this for some of our stuff and placed absurdly high values to it...but it really doesnt help when its gone

 

[nefertiti]

Shirl...I thought of you when I was typing that out...There was a point over the summer that there was severe flooding in my area and all of these things were still in a box in the garage...I wasn't worried about the house I own, but i was in TEARS at the idea of losing these items and the stuff my dad has painted for me (which are similar in their value to me...each thing he's painted has been a painting of a picture I took that represented a peaceful happy moment in my life). I can only imagine what that felt like for you.