How do you contribute to the greater good? What do you do?
As a teacher for the past 34 years, my entire job was a job of contribution, and like many teachers, I was working a good 60-80 hours a week to do all the tasks related to teaching well. For the most part, that easily fulfilled my contribution ability.
Now as a retired teacher, I'm reconfiguring my contribution quotient--I need to think anew about my time and intent with regard to contribution. What will I do?
Family
I've spent the first months of retirement, mostly contributing to my immediate and extended family. There was a lot of catch-up to do as well as many new needs, some related to the pandemic and others too. Family contribution has been almost a full time job in the past 8 months.
Blogging
I hope that my consideration and share of issues contributes to people's good living in some ways. As I write, I think about the lessons that I've learned and want to pass on. I wish more people had shared their lessons about good living with me. That's why I blog each morning. I blog to inspire myself and others to live their best possible lives. I also read a lot of blogs to gain perspective for my own life--I find people's first hand accounts and research to be extremely helpful to me. For example, my family has recently navigated my mom's health event--it was a new experience for all of us. Thanks to the Internet and lots of blogs, I was able to read and learn a lot about how people deal with health events like this. That was very helpful.
Community Work
Soon I will take on a role in the community to contribute more. I've yet to figure out exactly what that role will be, but I've started the research. I know from my years as a teacher that work on the front lines of any need gives you great perspective about the kind of work that really matters. As an educator, too often, I was instructed by people removed from day-to-day teaching. I found most of those people to be more of a hindrance than a help when it came to good teaching. The people that instructed while still staying fresh with the day to day needs of students, teachers, and families were far more effective than those who resisted that kind of hands-on work.
Contribution helps others and helps yourself too. To contribute builds confidence, positivity, health, and community. How will you contribute? Why is that important to your life?