Strange dream

I had a very odd dream last night. It was actually a series of dreams. In the first part, I had some kind of date with my dad. He was going to take me to this really awesome restaurant, which my grandma also recommended after talking with her in the dream. Then Dad and I were going to some kind of show. This is weird because my dad and I never do this sort of thing. EVER! I was really excited about it and I was kind of acting like a little kid about it. I got all dressed up. When he arrived I said, “Daddy!” He was wearing a really really REALLY weird outfit. Jeans, AND a JEAN SKIRT, AND some kind of white dress that was kind of manly, but had some sort of macramé or crocheted fringe, and a black sweatshirt over it. I looked at his outfit and thought, because of the white dress part, that my dad is becoming closer to God. (weird) And also that he must be considering this a special occasion. He wasn’t dressed like a woman, it just came off to me as some - maybe traditional or somehow cultural - masculine formal garb. Either way, it was all very unlike my dad. So we left and drove in the car down the highway. I looked out the car and in the lane coming the opposite direction, I saw a green SUV (that looked a lot like our old family SUV from when I was younger) lose control and flip over upside-down. I said, “WOW! Did you see that?!” Dad didn’t seem surprised or impressed. At some point, we got out of the car and started walking down the highway with a bunch of other people. I guess this was just the way to the restaurant. On the way, some blond young guy was asking people for a light for a cigarette. He was being rather rude about it, and the guys in front of us ignored him. My dad handed him a lighter, but the guy shook his head and ordered him to light it for him. He did, and I said to the guy, “No please?” The guys in front said, “Yeah really, no please or thank you, nothing!” We then walked through an underpass where there were a bunch of African American street vendors. Most of them were selling jewelry, with their sets sprawled out on a towel on the ground. One girl, whose set was off to the side, was crying an spewing apologies to what appeared to be a dead body laying in front of her. I was startled and thought her friend had just died and she needed help. But I realized it was only a doll, not a dead body, and I thought the doll must represent a friend of hers that died some time ago, and she was sorry to her that she wasn’t able to sell any of their jewelry. There were 2 other girls with a set more up front, more accessible to the herd of people walking. I thought, now that is where that crying girl should move her set. But then I wondered if any of them ever sell anything at all.

Weird! I am, for once, kind of unsure what it means! Any thoughts?

Why you don't have to make a career out of your life's purpose

People seem to be obsessed with the idea of having a "dream job", having a fulfilling and rewarding career or doing the work they love for a living. There has been some debate on this topic. I, for one, am an avid follower of Steve Pavlina's blog, which focuses on personal development but talks in great deal about finding your life's purpose and refusing to work a job. While I do agree that the corporate work world is pretty much a life-sucking machine created to develop brain-dead slaves or greedy liars, I do not believe avoiding working a job is the ultimate solution.

First of all, okay, yes we really do need people to take out our trash and clean our toilets. It is argued that if everyone found their life's purpose, there would be no one to do such things. Sometimes I believe this is not true, there are people out there who are perfectly happy janitors and trash collectors. In fact, I know this is true. However, I still ask myself, but are they really living their purpose?

And, does everyone really have a purpose anyway? A career purpose, that is. I know a lady, whom shall remain nameless, who is near 50 years old now and is completely content living a simple life working a simple desk job. She never questions whether she wants more out of life, or "if it all means something," or if she is meant for something bigger and better, etc. I try really hard to analyze the events of her life and figure out what her purpose might be. What her grand lesson or goal may be. I truly cannot think of any career that might suit her any better than her simple desk job. Perhaps her grand plan is to live modestly. So I believe there are those who do not have a career path for their life purpose at all.

I have chosen to go into the Human Resources field because I think the dishonesty and cutting corners in business is a problem. In Human Resources, I can be a part of the solution. I can help people enjoy their jobs and help managers work better with their employees and create an entire team looking out for the best of their company. Maybe if there were more companies like this, people wouldn't hate their jobs so much. While some may say this sounds like a life's purpose job, this is not my life's purpose.

My life's purpose is to write. I know this because I have known it my entire life. Writing is in my blood. It is the essential language of my soul. I understand the world through words, and through words the world understands me. On paper, I am a magnificent force with a powerful message. Without paper, I am just a little hen. However, there is no way on Earth I could be a writer as a career. It would completely kill my creativity. I cannot deal with that kind of pressure or deadlines to force out my creativity. I need room and time and space to perfect my work. It has already taken me 12 years to just come up with the idea and outline of my first book.

For me, I make a hobby out of my life's purpose. My career is simply something I feel strongly about. Artists constantly fall into the trap of becoming a "starving artist" because they insist on making a career of their life's purpose. This is only discouraging to your craft. This puts too much pressure on your creativity, and wears at your self esteem. There are many things that artists can do to make a living besides create art, and they can still create their art on the side! It will be much more enjoyable. This doesn't only include artists, it includes any profession that one might feel they would LOVE to do as a career, but can't for one reason or another. Like they would have to travel, or they don't have enough time, money, patience, support; or their spouse or family would disapprove, or they have kids. It doesn't have to be one simple formula of career = purpose. Make it something that suits you better. Perhaps... happiness = (career + √personal values ) + (purpose + creativity)

Happy calculating! :)

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I have also commented Jasmine Smith's blog, New Kid on the Block - http://jasminesmith18.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-kid-on-block.html

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I have commented on Shay's blog about Relationships - http://smharris23.blogspot.com/2009/08/relationships-and-self-image.html