Having said that, I must admit that being a hair stylist is something that I have always struggled with as far as the "importance" of the work. I have always felt a desire to make a difference, here and now, in this world. I actually have felt called to do something BIGGER. I have never really been quite sure what that important thing would be, but I have spent some years being sort of passively on the lookout for my life's work. Hmmmm....I am now 48 years old, and you would think that by now I would have found the answer. Or maybe the answer has been right in my very own hands, so to speak...
Well, here is my little piece of enlightenment for the day...I have come, over the years, to view my work as a vocation. And, in fact, all work is a vocation, and has a place in the whole big scheme of things. Each of us, no matter how menial or insignificant our "work" looks to be on the outside, is an essential player in the way the world works.
Here are some thoughts on the work that I currently do. These thoughts are, indeed, proof that I have matured into the the idea that this world is not as black and white as I once thought, and that making a living involves much more than doing a job for money!
My main concern at my job used to be that I could technically do the work correctly. And that is great. It is still a goal that I aim for. And to be honest, over the years, that part has become more reflex and repetition. The cuts and chemical services I do are usually technically great! But now I see, that for some individuals, their time with their stylist is more than a physical change...it is actually a time of relaxation, a time of therapy, a time of renewal. In some cases is may be the only place that that person is treated with respect and care in their day. When I had this bright light moment, it put my work into a different realm. I think that the impact that I can have on the people around me by my daily prayer, my attitude of caring, and just putting forth a listening ear can truly change another's day. And this is where I see my work as more that just giving the "every six week color and cut".
And now I am gonna let you in on the biggest secret....My clients give these same things back to me...A hug, a smile, a word of encouragement, a prayer, their life wisdom...The list goes on and on. I love my clients. They are friends to me in the biggest sense of that word!
My work has become a blessing to me, and hopefully to others. Through God's word this work that I do has become a whole new proposition over the last 29 years. (Wow! 29 years! REALLY? Am I truly that old?) And what can I say? My clients and friends feed my soul with each moment that I get to spend with them.
I find it amazing how every little crevice in my life has purpose. Sometimes that fact is intimidating, but mostly it is reassuring. God WANTS me to take joy in my work! God wants me to use the skills and talents he has given me to bless the lives of others. This plan, the one that I am living, is HIS plan. So is yours. How blessed are we?????
Colossians 3:23-24
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
