A Labor of Love

I've heard often in my life that if you do what you love, the money will follow. Well, I'm not sure about that for I've done many things I've loved with little or no monetary reward, and I'm sure I'm not alone in that experience. So what exactly does that saying really mean? No time like the present to analyze it, being that it's labor day.

We all find things to do in our lives that for one reason or another attracts us, draws us in, and without much effort takes up our time in pursuit of perfection. Without stating the obvious for me it's been especially 2 or 3, no 4, and now one more. Each one I've immersed myself into, with hunger, passion, total devotion and each one I've thoroughly loved to do even if not for a lifetime, certainly for the life of how long I could do it; yet money and riches certainly did not come with each and some if not all I've spent more on than what I've received, but none have I regretted and none would I not do again.

So then why continue doing it? Isn't it money that drives us all into further pursuits? Isn't it money that proves us our worth? Isn't it money that propels us to fame, dares us to take chances and tempts us to sell our souls, and isn't the pursuit of money that derives our greatest passion? Knowing full well that I'm not the first or the last to ask these questions, and knowing well that the answer is an obvious "No!", let's go on.

Everything I've devoted time to, pursued to perfection and have been passionate about has given me something in return: a fulfilment of some sort, not all monetary but certainly can be defined as enriching. Whether it's teaching, skiing, dancing, writing, or trading the rewards cannot be only counted in dollars and cents. They each filled a void, contributed to my growth and they all allowed me to participate, interact and get to know people from all walks of life.

I can only conclude that all what we do takes labor; a labor of love or not, it's all labor for if we do not do anything, there is no life. I will even argue that we all do what we do with love, because, we choose what we do and therefore if not out of love then what? If your answer to that is: the pursuit of money, well, that in itself is a love. So perhaps the answer is not "do what you love and ...etc.", but "love what you do and ... etc."! Done with love, nothing becomes a chore, everything becomes a labor of love.

As to any money magically following, well, my life is not over yet, and I'm not one to shut off any possibilities. So I'll keep on doing and loving what I do because I can have control over that and the rest is up to the Universe.