I Have Work To Do

I’ve been reading Yes Please by Amy Poehler and in one of her chapters, she describes how she feels about getting older. She explains that she does not feel middle-aged, but she knows she is approaching middle age. She reflects that although she is nearing middle age, she still feels like she has work to do.

That struck me. She has work to do.

I have work to do.

It’s a phrase I’ve probably used a hundred times, but there is something that struck me about the fact that there is work for me to do. Me. Not anyone else, but me.

And it’s important work. Whether it’s folding onesies or plaid nightgowns or new Star Wars shirts with Rey on it or feeding a tiny human or walking two huge dogs or preparing a sermon or counseling or unloading the dishwasher, it’s important, life-affirming work.

Sometimes I forget that life-affirming part because of any of this can feel like just plain, hard, tiresome W-O-R-K.

Thank you, Amy for the reminder.