The Alchemy of Turning Dreams into Gold

When I tell you I don't want to work anymore,
please don't laugh at me
and say...yeah well who does,
because then I will turn around and tell you the truth
that you do
You must want to work,
even though you bitch about it all damn day,
you must want to
because why else do it?
For the money?
Slavery was outlawed years ago
and yet indentured servitude for medicare
is still socially acceptable
the legal drug of choice
that stunts your growth
and grows this cancer of codependency
Who are you if you aren't your job?
Without your title, your business cards, the fancy nameplate...
When people ask you what you do,
do you ever answer I live?
If you did would it be true?

It's official. I've signed my written notice of intent, the intention being to leave my beautiful little school to venture out into the unknown. Why? Because I no longer feel like I'm serving my higher purpose in this job. It's not like last time. I am not in an untenable position in a job that is robbing me of my soul. I love where I work and I love the people I work with, most especially my kids, but I also feel like I'm ready for something new. I want to write and paint and travel. I want to finish my novel and visit new countries. Usually at this point in my "I want" list someone interrupts me to say "That's great, but how are you going to afford it?". Answer: I don't know. I haven't discovered the magic behind the trick that turns dreams and vision into gold...but rather than commit myself to another year of wishing I had more time to do the things I love, another year of not working to my potential, another year of not serving my highest good, I am committing to figuring out how to really live, and live well. Crazy? Maybe....but then again isn't it crazy to spend 30 years committed to something that makes you miserable, so you can save up money and then retire and be too old to do all things you dreamed you would in that distant 'one day'...my 'one day' begins on July 1, 2010.

In the meantime, my books are now available at several Seattle store including Not a number of 45th, Open Door A Poem Emporium also on 45th,The Center for Spiritual Living Bookstore at 75th and Sand Point Way, and soon Santoro's bookstore...plus on line at amazon.com.