To Be Fulfilled

"I am fulfilled by my own life on an hourly basis."

That was a quote by Julia Roberts in a magazine article.

I'm not much of a follower of the life and times of movie stars.  Honestly, I could care less about movie stars, or musicians, or any other "famous" people.  I can't fathom spending the time to follow someone else's life when it's hard enough to keep up with my own.

Well, I take that back.  I love to follow the lives of friends and family, and some of the other people whose blogs I read, or try to read, when I have time.  I do love seeing what life is like for other "regular" people.

But the quote struck me.  That is my goal.  To be fulfilled by my own life, every hour of every day.  To find the employment opportunity that will perfectly suit my skills and preferences, that will take advantage of the winding path of education and experience I've traveled, and bring it all together into a useful whole.  Is it possible?  I will continue to search until I have found it.  Even if only for a short time, I want to know what it is I was designed to do, and know the joy of doing that.

I know work isn't everything.  However, since it fills over 50% of my waking minutes (and sometimes feels like a whole lot more), I think satisfaction in my job does influence overall satisfaction with life.

I am not complaining about my life (although it sounds like it most of the time).  I am surrounded by friends and family who love me and care about my well-being enough to listen to me whine.  I have a beautiful home in a beautiful country, state, city, climate.  We are both employed, which is a blessing all by itself.

Life has a way of forcing a person down paths they may not have chosen for themselves.  Family, economics, opportunity, politics, all play a part in the life you live.  Some few have a passion that is always burning, reorienting them toward the dream that will fulfill their desires.  Some find it an easy path to follow, others overcome incredible odds to achieve their goal and live their dream.

Others, like me, have a yearning for fulfillment that doesn't come with a passion, that doesn't have a clear direction. We have a need to be useful, to make the most of the talents or skills we possess, but without the specific interest that points us to our field.  We follow the opportunities we see, hoping to recognize the right one when we see it.

Still others will do whatever needs doing to get by.  They are happy in whatever job they hold as long as it is honest work, and can support their family.  These are happy staying in the same job for 20+ years, sometimes working their way up the ladder within the company, until they can retire and enjoy the fruits of their relentless labor.

All of these are important.  All serve a purpose.  All can be fulfilling.  I just need to find the right door for me to push through.  I am confident that given enough time, I will.  One day, one of my life experiments will be the right one!