I remember when I was young at the beach. My mom would often sit in a beach chair by the side of the ocean, but she rarely went in for a swim. I couldn't understand why she didn't take part in hours of water play like I did. I enjoyed the water so much at that time that Mom and Dad had to make me come out when my lips were turning blue and my body numb from the cold Cape Cod waters. Now older than the age my mom was back then, I'm a lot more like my mom. While I still enjoy the water, I don't enjoy it in the same way I did when I was a young child. The same is true for so many childhood pleasures such as playing in the snow, sliding and skating. Yet I do enjoy a winter walk and lots of childlike creative play.
What captures our time and attention changes over time--what drew us in at one point may no longer interest us now. This is a fact of life.
I noticed this recently as I waded through a host of job listings. With the thought of getting a part time job, I looked at what was available. So many jobs that I would have jumped at ten or twenty years ago were of no interest to me. I simply don't have the energy or interest to do those kinds of jobs, yet work closer to home and more personal does interest me. Rather than working at a complex systems level, I desire work that is more personal, people centered, creative, and responsive. More than any other job, the work I enjoy most these days is work related to those I love most in life--I truly enjoy being there to support their needs and interests. That's the big pull in my life at the moment. And while that work is rarely looked at with honor or adulation, it is work that is meaningful and promising.
I believe that it's good to think deeply at each stage about who you are and where you're meant to be. To match your desires, talents, and energy to the potential out there translates to good, meaningful work and living. So I'll honor my instincts and work within the endeavors that call me. Onward.