Passion, Purpose, Profession

First week of school and Friday has a face again. The always pleasurable 8^th grade jazz classes, the two energetic 5-year old classes, the ritual potato chips with the week’s leftovers for Friday lunch, the constant delight of Singing Time and two 4^th grade classes to finish off the day (here the energy begins to sag—sorry, 4^th graders!). The weird satisfaction of ticking off names at carpool time and then it’s off to the Jewish Home for my end-of-the-week sing with my constant friends Fran, Edie and more who have become as necessary to my life as bread.

And then back in the car heading home with the feeling that the week has been well-spent, rich with music, dance, laughter, friendship, work that’s low on the economic scale but topping the charts in spirit and worthiness. I saw a chart on Facebook (below) and it was a nice summary of this life—passion, purpose, profession, mission, vocation all sharing the same cozy room together.

Home around 5:30, write down the day’s lessons, check the round of e-mails and Facebook and blog and such, see what the refrigerator suggests for dinner and look forward to a video with popcorn. Tonight William Powell and Ginger Rogers in an obscure old film.

And so ends the first week of school, the big wheel starting to turn and gain its own momentum and hit its rhythmic groove. Why do we ever think freedom means no schedules or obligations? My freedom is a life-giving groove of a schedule, each day with a particular face and name and character. A life where my obligations are my pleasures, my purpose and also my profession.

Happy weekend to all!