The job

IN THIS LIFE, we are often defined by our jobs. Fair enough. But we put too much emphasize on careers, on making money, on being standards for our professions.

I was a journalist for 24 years. The music store was an 11-year adventure. In September of  2022, I took a job as a lab courier for Blessing Hospital.

Lab courier?

Blessing is a good place to work. They give me a vehicle, a gas card, a schedule and places to pick it up and bring it somewhere. A gall bladder in Hannibal? I'm your guy. Office supplies for 48th and Maine? That's me. An emergency trip to somewhere with oncology drugs? Yup.

It's not hard. It's a lot of responsibility, and stuff can go sideways in an instant. You can't forget to pick something up. You. Just. Can't. Plus people don't know how to drive. But the boss lets me do the job and 99 percent of the people I work with are amazing. It's 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the week.

The days fly by. I've made some good friends. The pay is decent and benefits are really good.

I'm happy.

I wasn't looking for a job after we closed Second String Music in June 2022. But doing lessons out of the house just wasn't cutting it. I applied for the Blessing job on a whim and really didn't think about it. Then they called. I went into the interviews with a slightly cavalier attitude - this is who I am, this is why I think this would be a good fit, and whatever happens, happens.

Lo and behold, I had the job half an hour after my peer interview. And it's been a ride, literally, ever since. 

People who make marks often do it in their professions. And that's great. The pastor, the civil engineer, the doctor, the journalist, the small business owner .... More power to them. They chase their passion in their calling and it defines them, in a positive way.

But you don't have to work at a job you don't like. You can find your way. You can change careers. You can work for less money and be 100 times happier.  You can be .... you.

Gotta go get ready for ... work! It's sunny and the weather is warming up.

Life is good. So is work.