Work, like many things in life, is transitory. Wow, such a big word for so little a girl so early in the morning, you may say. But let me clarify what I mean.
As a student, work is compulsary. That's not to say that you always have a choice. You could choose to sit with your arms folded and stare out of the window during a lecture, and you could choose to let all your homework pile up by the side of your bed and once it was high enough to be entertaining throw it in the bonfire, but this would not be good for your grades or your popularity amongst your teachers. And when I say that work is transitory, that's also not to say that it doesn't contribute to your more iminent future, like to the quality of job you could get after you graduate, and the more you work as an undergraduate, the more likely you are to be accepted into a Masters course; that kind of milarky. But in the light of all that's important, how high should we rank studying?
Teachers would probably say quite close to the top. However most people would agree that the most important things in life are the things which are invisible, like love and friendship, kindess, faith, trust, hope; all of these things which can be expressed and seen in tangible ways like the fruit of a tree, but which begin in the heart. The heart is the core part of our being and what we focus on the most is probably what's most important to us, i.e. close to our heart. I don't want to be somebody who only works, works and works harder to achieve and achieve some more, but who then looks back and thinks, I really wish I'd spent more time with my friends when I was a student, or more time pursuing my dreams, or more time simply relaxing and enjoying life...
Striving for balance is vital here, in my opinion. I want to be a well-rounded individual with a healthy schedule, healthy relationships and a healthy care for my own wellbeing, as well as a list of achievements in all areas of my life. I want people to be proud of me, especially my friends and family, but most of all I want to make God proud. I think one of the ways we can best do that is simply live a life of love. After all, those are the most important commandments, to love God and love others. And loving isn't always a difficult task. Sometimes it can be, but more often than not it's a natural response or reflex of the heart. Knowing God loves me unconditionally, I can love Him back and love others too, and life suddenly becomes all about that.
Work is important, and of course needful at times, but it's only the means to an end, not the goal of my life! Saying that, probably in 30 minutes or so I'll be back to working on my essay... Hey-ho. No-one said life was a breeze! However we don't have to put excess value into work. It is what it is, for what it is.
Enough musings for now.
