Article Title: Love and work, Work and Love
Author Name: Julie Jordan Scott
Contact Email Address: julie@5passions.com
Word Count: 487
Category: Spirituality, Parenting, Love
Copyright Date: 2007
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Love and Work, Work and Love
=A9 2007
Julie Jordan Scott
http://www.5passions.com
My day started merrily today. Please read that again, with
your tongue firmly entrenched in your cheek, and hear
it in my voice.
Yes, my day started merrily today.
I’ll put it in a nutshell for you.
Sam, my five-year-old, is having challenges with his
digestive system. He had them when we were in Flagstaff
and now they have started again, but this time from a
different part of his digestive system.
When it looked like it was a temporary challenge, I
lit a candle and set it on my entry way altar. I
recited my most recent quote-to-live-by, “My work
is to love.” Mary Oliver said it so it must be true.
Sam made another mess which I cleaned, mopped and
scrubbed up.
“My work is to love.” I said with a minor amount of
vigor. “My work is to love.” In cleaning up like
this, I was loving my family and myself.
I walked down the hallway, past the bathroom, and
there was another surprise for me. I went to fetch
the mop and bucket from the kitchen. I caught
Katherine’s eye and said, “I love being a Mom
when you guys are sick.”
My wise fifteen-year-old daughter replied, “You
love being a Mom all the time.” I trudged down
the hall while she continued. “Can you imagine
life without us?”
She had a valid point there. I could not imagine
life without them.
Sam had followed me to the bathroom. He felt no
guilt or remorse for adding to my to-do list for
the day. That is how it should be. He shouldn’t
feel remorseful for having digestive problems.
It is a normal part of life and “my work
is to love.”
I mopped it up and lifted Sam onto the counter
which I disinfected before and after he sat there.
I got a washcloth and warmed it with water and
washed him off, too. He laughed, not at all
upset at any part of his day. I smiled at
my precious boy and remembered, “My
work is to love.”
I returned to prior task with a smile on
my face. I looked up from my writing to
take a breath when I caught a glimpse of it.
My altar.
I can see my altar from my desk. It looks
so pretty. There is a clock there, a couple
candles, an assortment of pinecones, acorns,
candles, a sculptured angel, a pomegranate and
an empty wine bottle.
The “my work is love” candle is giving me a
hug from a distance.
Behind me, Sam and Katherine are high-fiving
and Emma is sitting at the dining room table,
drawing and writing. I can feel my work,
my love, filling me.
I can not imagine my life without them. I can
not imagine my life without my work.
Love. Love. Love. Work. Work. Work.
Kahlil Gibran said, “Work is love made visible.”
I agree with my wise friends and my daughter. My
most important work, where I make the most
significant contribution, is when I love.
# + # + # + #
Julie Jordan Scott is a Writer, Life Coach, Poet, Speaker,
Actor, Director and Mom Extraordinaire whose deepest passion
is helping people – like you – discover and live with
passion. Call 661.444.2735 to book your complimentary
coaching session or visit http://www.5passions.com for
plentiful resources to live a passion-rich life.
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