David Got a Job!

David has been offered a summer job with Argosy Cruises! I can't quite put into words how happy I am about this.
I have been praying, "Thy will be done" while waiting for the answer, after his interview!

Argosy is a great company. They donate two cruises every summer to Camp Goodtimes, and that is just part of their generosity. If you go to their website, you can read about their corporate culture and history; it's interesting, and their values are excellent. We had the pleasure of meeting the owners at the Camp Goodtimes benefit in March, and they are a kind, caring and sincere couple.

It's so important to learn about the working world when we are young. David has been exposed to many wonderful, beautiful "things" (and experiences) of this world, and it is vital that he experience what it costs to earn the money for them. I think we choose differently, once we realize how many hours of our time will be needed to purchase an item that we desire. I keep telling him, You will pay for what you buy with your time, which is really your life. That's why it's so essential to listen deeply about what you are called to do. I didn't learn this in my education; I'm still working on it, and I want David to know better than I did.

Working for money raises a lot of conflicting feelings within me, because of my background and temperament. I worked for my dad's company when I was David's age, and during vacations from college; I worked there again later, after I was married. It's different to apply for a job with your dad, than it is with strangers. We were given mixed messages at home regarding women in the workforce. This was 30+ years ago, and the women in my family did not work for money; I did not expect to need to work for money, but it turned out to be necessary. I had a lot of anxiety around that, applying for my first job after graduating from college. I made a poor choice (the job was a terrible fit for me), and then I repeated that cycle many, many times, eventually finding work that I liked - but never work that I loved - until I became a full-time homemaker, nine years ago.
I WASN'T PREPARED.

This is one of the things that I want to be different for David: I want him to be prepared, to expect to work, and to be so accustomed to seeking, getting and having a job, that he doesn't worry about it. But I also want him to love what he chooses to do, so that his life will be fulfilling. Having a lot of money isn't so important when you are happy with your daily life.

You can see that I may be projecting some of my unfinished business onto him; I can see it, too, and I told him openly that this might be the case. It doesn't mean that this is a bad idea for him. We just need to be clear about our boundaries: what is my inner work, and what is his work, are not necessarily the same.

Today, I am truly, deeply thankful for this opportunity for David to join a wonderful company, and give them his time and energy, as they teach him valuable lessons.
Above is a photo of an Argosy "Christmas Ship," on which we cruised in December, 2007.