. . in this world he must prepare himself for the life beyond. That which he needs in the world of the Kingdom must be obtained here. ~‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Promulgation of Universal Peace, p. 226
I was having a conversation with a friend about the elements of a job I really like. As I was explaining it to her in all my enthusiasm and passion I was not attentive to the manner in which I described it. She mirrored my words back to me and then we had a discussion about the expectations I was setting up for myself. She pointed out that on two occasions during my explanation I referred to it as my "dream job". By dream job I meant aspects of work that I had always wanted to do like assisting people through a difficulty and advocating on their behalf to bring about change. The truth of the matter was that as I thought about this more, I am doing the exact work that I was describing but just not in the same context as the job I liked. Yet it was having the exact same effect. I realise that I am in fact living my dream but I was not viewing life from that perspective. I am drawn to work that has the elements of what it is my purpose to fulfill in life. It is the part that I am uniquely meant to play. The truth is that this part may be played out in many different scenarios and settings and may not always look like how I think it should look. I get caught up in creating elaborate expectations around what I think should happen when God has another idea. I barrel onward setting myself up for what I have found to be profound disappointment because it did not happen the way I want it to occur. What my work is to do is to identify the steps that I can take now, do them to the best of my ability and with the enthusiasm that excites me about this position. At this time it is updating my resume to best showcase who I am and my suitability for the position and to create a most engaging and attention capturing cover letter. These steps are within the remit of my control. It will not serve me to channel precious energy into daydreaming about what could be because being selected for the position is beyond me and my expertise. I can only place myself in the selection pool. It is valuable for me to acknowledge that the work that I am currently doing is also living my dream. I can devote attention and excellence to what I am doing knowing that my purpose is accomplished in the daily activities I undertake. It does not come packaged with a glitzy title, a substantial remuneration but this does not render it any less worthy. The direction that I am meant to follow will become clear and it is my work to align my energies with it. Life has a myriad of twists and turns, peaks and valleys and a ton of distractions. Should this position not be meant for me, my job then is to trust that there is something more along this journey that is just right for me and will make itself known in due course. For now I am focused on my application and discerning ways that I can best show who I am.