Sunday, June 22, 2014

My Tio y su Papa (my Abba)


Or, life and work.



My uncle Tio* has spent most of his life teaching middle and high school Spanish.  He has led kids, helped them flourish and grow, in the way that only very special teachers are able to.

His job is clearly his vocation.  I’m sure anyone who knows him will agree.

So I was very surprised last month when we were talking to the priest about my grandfather’s life, and Tio said, “He taught me that you are not your job.”

Tio explained how after they were exiled from Cuba, Abba always did whatever work was available to him in order to support his family; no work was beneath him.

Coming from Tio, who’s work is clearly his vocation, the simple truth that we are not our jobs, carried even more weight.  You are not your job.

This is not in conflict with your vocational path, but, perhaps, a helpful truth in obtaining it.




*little Spanglish joke.  We call him Tio.  Tio=uncle.  Jokes aren’t funny when you explain them, but I just said “uncle uncle.”  

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