Remember the Bible story about Jonah, the guy that God told to go to Nineveh to preach and prophesy, but he didn't want to? He tried to run away on a ship, but ended up in the belly of a big fish, who after three days vomited (there is no delicate way to put this) him on the shore.
Well, I am Jonah at times. And I bet you are too.
This hit me recently when reading an article about a former student, one who is now very successful on a national scale, living in another state. In this article, she credited me, by name, with advice I gave over 20 years ago, advice that contributed to her success.
Wow.
So how does this relate to Jonah?
Those who know me best know I became a teacher for all the wrong reasons. I never wanted to teach, never prepared for it. I wanted a career in business, particularly international business (my son now has my dream job, except he works in Memphis and I prefer Nashville). I enjoyed my banking career, although I got tired of it at times, as we all do with our jobs.
I switched to teaching after eight years working in banking because I had a three-year-old and wanted more mom-friendly hours. I switched to teaching because I loved Spanish and French and the varied cultures of the people who speak those languages. I switched to teaching because of child-care issues.
Wrong reasons.
If you teach, you should do it because of the kids. Pure and simple.
It took me a while to get that. I enjoy working with teens. Really, I do. Some of them, not so much, but that is because I get frustrated when I can't motivate them to learn, when they roll their eyes at games I incorporate to make learning fun, when they grumble and complain about every task they are asked to do, when they are failing because they don't listen and don't turn in their work. I don't dislike them as people---I dislike their behavior because I care about their success more than they do.
However, I have spent the past 31 years alternating between being passionate about my job and discouraged over unfulfilled dreams and goals, dreams I will never realize and goals I will never achieve. I have even cried about it, because if you know me, you know that I am very ambitious. I am a dreamer. I like change. I am goal-oriented. I actually get bored in the summer and on Christmas break. (Don't get me wrong, I don't want to teach during those times. I wouldn't mind working in another job, though.) I'm weird.
But when I read that article, I realized who I am.
I am Jonah. I have fought against where I was, where I needed to be. I have resisted life's circumstances, constantly frustrated about my personal disappointments. No dream job, no living in a large city like I wanted, no career involving travel. Instead, working in a job I never intended to do, living in a small town, limited travel opportunities.
But in my non-dream job, I like to think I have impacted lives. I was there for my sons when raising them. I am here now for my elderly mother and in-laws, and at least I do get to go to the beach every now and then. (My coolest vacation ever was Washington, D.C., where we walked our legs off and I loved every minute of it. I could just see myself working there. I told you I'm weird.)
In our society, we stress goals and dreams and all those other things. Maybe we need to stress less focus on ourselves and more focus on others. Maybe we would all be happier if we realized we are placed in a certain job, a certain place, a certain circumstance, for a reason, and that reason may be our impact on someone else.
Maybe you are a Jonah too. If your circumstances would be better by changing your current job or place of resident, pursue it. But if not, accept it and move on. Make the best of your opportunities, no matter where you are.
You'll be happier. And maybe somewhere along the way, someone will credit you for making a difference in his or her life.
When they do, you'll feel that it was all worth it.
