Will this be the year? (12/29/2008)

My niece, Margaret, wants to swim with the sharks. She always seemed like such a bubbly and levelheaded girl. I didn't realize she was insane.

She has a new job at the Newport Aquarium. Newport is across the river from Cincinnati, Ohio. I didn't even know that Newport had an aquarium. Margaret is an event planner and also handles publicity for the facility. Her short note said that she wants to take scuba lessons so she can swim with and feed the sharks.

Perhaps we can talk her into swimming with dolphins or any marine species that won't view her as potential snack food. We really don't want our niece to become shark bait.

I checked the Aquarium's website. They offer a daily penguin parade. Maybe she could do that. It would certainly be safer than getting in the water with eating machines.

My brother, Michael, just got laid off from his job. I doubt if he is going to seek a new career swimming with sharks or any other predator. Finding a new job in this economy is not going to be easy. However, he is one of those people who always comes out on top. He will be fine.

He will probably find another position working on semi tractors and trailers or something similar. Where there are trucks, there are mechanics. He is good at what he does and seems to enjoy it.

He has always dreamed of working on a railroad. To my knowledge he has never applied for a railroad position. He has never done anything to prepare for a different kind of job than what he has. He does collect model trains but I don't think that would carry much weight on a job application.

On the other hand, Margaret goes out and gets a new job and makes plans to take lessons so she can do things that are not currently in her job description. She takes action.

Part of that is being young and carefree. She has always reached out and grabbed life and said, "Let's dance!" As a consequence, Life is too surprised to say no and dances with her, laughing all the way.

Most of us are more like Michael than Margaret. We muddle along, doing things that we are moderately good at but have no passion for. We wish things were different but take no action that will result in life becoming better.

We worry about losing our jobs but are too afraid of change to go out and do what is necessary to qualify to do anything else. We believe the doom and gloom in the newspaper that says the economy is sliding downhill fast, destroying all our hard-earned savings in the process. We forget that our real worth is not measured in dollars and cents. Our real worth is measured in how we treat others.

I am particularly good at hiding my head under the covers in the vain hope that whatever bogeyman is around will leave on his own. He usually does, but not always.

I rarely have held the same type of job twice. I prefer the terror of learning new things and failing miserably to staying in my comfort zone. I have had only one job that I absolutely hated. Thank goodness it was a temporary position.

The upcoming year will hold more challenges than we are used to. Will you take lessons so you can swim with the sharks or will you take comfort in dreaming the same old dreams, not daring to find out if you really can make a living at what you enjoy?

Will you hide under the covers, waiting for the economy to bottom out and begin to recover on its own? Will this be the year that you take charge of your life?

It's your choice. You can follow your dream. You can do what needs to be done to survive.

Or you can join me in hiding under the covers, waiting for a sunny day when all is right with the world.[[In-content Ad]]