In Trivium this week the class looked at an essay by Annie Dillard, Living like Weasels. We talked about a number of things, but the point that was really driven home for me came out of this line;
The thing is to stalk your calling in a certain skilled and supple way...This line was picked upon, and started a discussion about finding your calling. A certain person who shall remain nameless gave a discourse on how what is wrong with our education system is that it does not allow people to follow their interests until they graduate. As a result, the immature people this produces don't know what career to choose and spend their twenties "finding themselves". I then started feeling defensive because I don't have a sweet clue what I'm going to do after this year is up. Anyhow, the conversation dwelt for a while on this topic, with a general sense of growing uncomfortableness from most of the class, because most of the class is also undecided in what to do next year. Just when I was feeling mildly wretched, Texas, bless her heart, made a wonderful remark. She said that we often equate "calling" with "career", when it is much more than that. Your calling is to be the person God made you to be; a parent, a musician, an arithmetician, an architect, or any combination thereof.
This makes so much sense it is almost uncanny. All my philosophy lectures for the past three months converged elegantly into this point! The thing is to know oneself, to be who you are, to flourish. If you are fulfilling the purpose of man, your career will either progress logically from your knowledge of who you are, or be incidental. It is not the only thing which defines you. This is amazing to me.
Ironic side note: When there was the general discussion of how our education system is flawed since it forces everyone to take the same classes, the homeschoolers in the room were strangely silent... We have already mangled the Public vs. Home school issue, and neither side really wants to open that can of worms again, but I did smile internally.
1 comment:
A random wander down Blog Lane brought me to your site. You have a nice way of writing.
I have 4 grandchildren who are making the adjustment from home schooling to the public system. It is a challenge. Home schooled children learn such different skills!
May I suggest you look at your career as something you build over your lifetime and the next step is just that - not the BIG career decision but a piece in the foundation of who you will become.
Marilyn
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