Professional Worth

I just read one of those Buzzfeed quizzes on Facebook detailing how 'Working Retail Kills Your Soul.'

When I was young, I wanted to open my own store of quirky and interesting imported items.  I was inspired by all the interesting knick-knacks on my grandparents walls and tables that they collected on their world travels.  That's what I wanted to do--to travel the world to find my wares and sell them in my own little independent shop in some cool town somewhere.  Obviously, I don't have the financial means to make this happen and running a store in the age of online shopping isn't an easy feat.

So, instead, I work the dreaded retail.

I won't lie, it's really challenging leading a staff of kids who read these Buzzfeed quizzes and allow retail to kill their souls.  But as an older coworker said to me on my last few days at the bookstore job from which I was laid off:

"You are a merchant, and that's a very noble profession."

I appreciated his sentiments, because most of the people in my life have been telling me I'm not working to my potential and that I'm somehow lowly, or something, because I work retail.  The truth is, I don't like sitting in a cubicle.  I like interacting with a variety of people every day.  I like building relationships with customers, some of whom have grown to be lifelong friends!  I like talking to people and helping them find gifts or something special to treat themselves.  Sure, there's bad shit that happens working in the public.  But there's bad shit with every job. 

I refuse to let the opinions of others affect my feelings of self-worth.  Certainly I can continue my writing and painting as I work and learn more about life and people and behavior and action and humankind.  I can hone my leadership skills and diplomatic skills and general people skills while I make my lil humble living.  My biggest struggle is getting through to the young people.  It is my biggest challenge to teach them valuable work ethics that they will carry throughout their lives.  As I've said a million times before, no matter what job you find yourself doing, there is always something valuable to learn.  And the world needs many different people to do all sorts of jobs.  The world needs all kinds of people.

Yes, you can still dream, but take pride in whatever you find yourself doing.  There's an importance in it all.  This has become my daily meditation of sorts...