Work to Be Done--A Paragraph a Day

In order that people may be happy in their work, these three things
are needed: they must be fit for it; they must not do too much of it;
and they must have a sense of success in it--not a doubtful sense,
such as needs some testimony of other people for its confirmation,
but a sure sense, or rather knowledge, that so much work has been
done well, and fruitfully done, whatever the world may say or think about it.

John Ruskin


I like to work.  It helps to give me a nice feeling of achievement, of accomplishment.  Helps.  My sense of achievement usually doesn't come from the work itself, but the ways that I've put myself into the work to get it done, and hopefully to get it done well.  Sometimes I'm much more relaxed while I'm working than I am when I'm not doing anything.  I never want to get to the point at which I only want to be productive, but I don't mind liking the feeling when I have it.  It's very easy, I think, to allow work to overwhelm us, to take over our lives, basically, and I never want that to happen to me either.  I like work because I keep it in a balance--just enough work balanced with just enough rest balanced with just enough recreation.  It's a delicate balance to keep, of course, but one that's necessary.  After all, there's always work to be done, and we do it better when we come at it from a place of peace and balance rather than overwhelming ourselves with just another task to be done.  I like working, and I hope that I never stop working.  But I also hope that I never make work the center of my world, for that would be a very sad center when all is said and done.