21 February 2013

The 8 to 5 Grind!

Well, some awesome things happened this week.

For one, I got my first paid day off, and I have a new found appreciation for President's Day. In general, when the markets are closed, we're off, and that's pretty sweet.

Also, I'm learning more about why God wants me in this job. I can see, even here at the very beginning of my career, how people work (even from day one) to retire. It seems like everyone in the corporate world, even if they really enjoy what they're doing, only work so that they can retire, and retire well. Why? Well, if you work in the finance industry, you know how much money it takes to live comfortably after retirement. If you understand that your 5 dollar cup of Starbucks now could buy you almost a hundred dollars worth of anything when you're 65, you're a lot more likely to be sipping that Folger's black magic from home.

I really believe that God can be found in work. (Hard work. Thanks, Auburn Creed.) I also believe that God can be found in holy leisure. Once I get my license, I will be in a really unique and awesome position to be able to give people advice about how to make their money work for them. We'll call it working smarter, not harder. I do feel like this field is geared particularly towards men, but I know that I have to work with what I've got, and God has blessed me with an interest in these things that are boring to a lot of people... not to mention that I'm pretty good at it.) If I can help to educate people, especially men who are financially responsible for their entire families, hopefully I can make a small difference in family life. "Man-children" become men when they are challenged (inspired) to lead. Also, when your money is working for you, it leaves you the peace of mind to be able to spend more time with your family, and isn't that really what it's all about?

On Monday, I got to have a really awesome Holy Hour, and I know that Jesus needs to see more of me. Rather, I need to see more of Him. I'm not pressuring myself though,  I know it will take time to get the kinks worked out. Right now, I wake up at 6:30, leave at 7:30, get home at 5:30, and in the time between getting home and going to bed (around 10:30), I have to eat dinner, pray, work out, and study for at least 2 hours. This week, the praying and the working out have taken a back seat. But it's Lent! It's the season of 180's!

Today I felt like a real professional, probably for the first time. I wore a business dress with a suit jacket with my badge attached to my left pocket, tights and heels to work. I walked past the janitor as I was heading back to the training room, and it hit me how blessed I am. Here we are, me and him, both working in the same building. He's old, I'm young. We're both just trying to make it. I have been given some radical opportunities, and at 23, I probably make more than he's ever made. I'm not sure how this plays into the notion of the American Dream, but I know that God is real and that He is good. We are all members of the same body, but not all body parts can do the same things. I wonder if I would feel like this if I were the janitor.

I'm going to Mass tomorrow after work, and I'll be praying for you!

St. Matthew, pray for us.

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