This excellent quote I came across on Aaron's weblog got me thinking this morning:

"We do, I think, a grave disservice to our children when we ask them what they want to be when they grow up. Equating being with occupation is a horrifying thought.

"A job, in my view, is merely a pragmatic means to the honorable end of supporting oneself and his dependants. Nothing more. Nothing less. It certainly doesn't bring fulfillment to my life. Egads, if I ever look to my job to add meaning to my life, I will have reached such a pitifully low estate that suicide can only be a release. I mean come on. If all one has to look forward to is the daily grind, what kind of life is that? No, if I want fulfillment or meaning, I will always look to the things I enjoy outside of my toil of necessity." --Michael Cossarwal

Isn't that the truth for so many of us? While I do find a good deal of pleasure in working with web and graphic design, they are not yet my primary means of financial support. I have what is commonly known as a "day job" and it brings me no fulfillment beyond that of a paycheck that still doesn't stretch as far as I'd like it to. I definitely don't define my being in terms of that job. I don't even like talking about it. I do my work -- well, I believe -- and at the end of my shift I try not to think about it anymore.

I think a lot of parents dream of their children becoming doctors or lawyers, and many Christians imagine their little ones growing up to do those things or to enter the ministry in some way. Because I don't define my own being by my work, it isn't surprising that I haven't thought too much about what I want my daughter to do as a career. I do have my secret dreams -- that she could have some great musical or other artistic talent, but even if she does, most musicians and artists are not fortunate enough to live on their art, so she'll probably have another job. Whatever she wants to do is fine as long as it is not immoral -- I'm mainly concerned that she will be a good person, one who loves God and follows Him with all her heart, mind, and soul.