The Color of Meaningful Work

“The mystery of human existence

lies not in just staying alive,

but in finding something to live for.” 

(Fyodor Dostoyevsky, The Brothers Karamazov)

What makes a job worth doing? I recall a scene from the movie "Gandhi" in which Gandhi and his wife were residing in South Africa. They were living in a commune called an ashram, wherein all work duties were shared equally by the participants. One of those responsibilities was cleaning latrines. The movie portrays Kasturba (Mrs. Gandhi) as being upset when confronted with her turn to sanitize toilets. Gandhi asked his wife why she had not cleaned the toilets that day:

"'I don’t want to clean the latrines; it’s the work of the ‘Untouchables’!' she retorted.
'All work in this community is sacred, and none is more sacred than to devote ourselves to make the ashram pure by cleaning the latrines. It is an act of worship,' Gandhi replied." 

I will never forget that scene for it revealed to me the sacred nature, not of our work, but who we are in our work. All too often we assume that some forms of employment, some tasks, are inherently more valuable than others; as though the garbage collector's job is debasing relative to a doctor's or teacher's employment. In fact, this very idea is strongly reinforced by the monetary remuneration system upon which most of earth's economies are based; the more you get paid the more valuable a job must be.

Gandhi reminds us though, that all work has its place. Human communities are woven together upon a loom of millions of threads; each plays a part in the totality of the tapestry; each is only one thread. Thus, plumber, CEO, sports star, farmer, home-maker, dentist... none are more inherently valuable than the other as all are a part of the whole. 

What then gives our labor meaning? It is not so much what you do, as who you are in what you do. Do you treat your clients, co-workers, and all whom you meet through your vocation with kindness? Are they merely cogs in a wheel to be exploited for your gain? Do you see people or numbers? If you want your work to meaningful, deeply rewarding, and world-changing then you may want to evaluate who you are in your work place.

“The purpose of life

is to contribute in some way

to making things better.” 

(Robert F. Kennedy)

The value of your work today is not simply in the tasks before you; the value of your work is that YOU are doing that work, that YOU are engaging your tasks with all your heart, with the purpose of making a positive difference in somebody's life. Human life has never been about our tasks, or our stuff; it is about recognizing that, as author Bo Lozoff states, "human life is very deep..." Do not accept the maxim, "it's not personal, it's just business..." Such perspectives demean our humanity and place a false value on our endeavors. Rather, assume that everything we do is personal - that every interaction is about being a deep human being capable of extraordinary Love, full of Light.

What you do is important, very important, because it is a portal through which you will impact your world. On this day you will change someone's path by the way you interact with them. Will you use kindness and compassion, or indifference? The choice lies before you. You have only this one day... for humanity's sake see the depth in every person you encounter.

I leave the last word to Jesus:

"You did not choose me,

but I chose you and appointed you

that you should go and bear fruit

and that your fruit should abide..."

(John 15.16)

The color of meaningful work...

who we are, not what we do.

It is

what goes into

the soup

wherein

flavor arises

be salt

in life's

soup

Be

Breathe

Play

To Ponder Further:

- From the Bible: "One who is slack in his work is brother to one who destroys." (Proverbs 18.9)

- From Buddhism: “Those who consider the inessential to be essential 

And see the essential as inessential Don't reach the essential,
Living in the field of wrong intention” (Gautama Buddha, The Dhammapada)

- From Islam: “Do not turn your face from others with pride, nor walk arrogantly on earth.

Verily the Almighty does not like those who are arrogant and boastful.” (Qur'aan 31:18)