"Working"

In the summer of 2014 I worked at a summer camp. Families came to spend a week in cabins, and in the mornings and evenings I worked with high school students refereeing games, playing songs, and facilitating small group discussions. This was a religious camp, so I wanted to make the songs as good as I could to enhance that experience for everyone. In the course of working with high schoolers, I used up most of my social energy, so during my breaks I would usually go make music tracks on my computer that we could play along with.

My coworkers would often invite me to hang out during our breaks and at the end of the day. I was only 20 at the time, so I hadn’t quite gained the confidence to say “no, I’m tired” and then just go to bed. So instead, I would tell my coworkers I had to make more tracks for the worship music sets. They didn’t bother me because I was working. 

“Working.” What a powerful ideal in American culture. 

Playing live music used to be a huge part of my life. But once I started freelancing, freelancing became my work. I couldn’t really call music my “work” anymore, because I didn’t have a business model for it, and I needed to make money freelancing. So a few years have passed now, and I haven’t played live or recorded much else. Because in the light of “work”, there’s just no time. 

In the course of writing these blogs every day, I’ve had to make some social sacrifices to complete them before the day ends. Even though there isn’t really a business model behind these blogs, and I don’t have that many readers, I’ve tricked myself and others into thinking this is “work”. 

And guess what? It’s working. 

I’ve written 20 days in a row, I’ve wrestled with some great ideas, and I’ve connected with great people! It’s been one of the more fulfilling parts of “work” in the past few weeks. 

So what is “work?” It’s an American ideal that’s held very highly. But it’s really just a title we have the option to give the things we want to prioritize. No one needs to know if it makes money or not. Call it work and you’ll find the time to get it done. 

Good luck out there!

PS I have a few friends who were relentless in inviting me to hang out, long after other game up when I told them I was “working” three weeks in a row. These few friends ended up pulling me from the dungeon of work as many nights as they could and made try whole summer. One of them, Hope, just got married this past weekend, and I want to wish her a lifetime of happiness and love. Cheers!