Making work meaningful and elevating it to the greatest of human activities

Chatting with a former pupil, I learned that he was living a life of quiet desperation.  He lost his family and is feeling like a robot who mechanically does nothing of consequence day after day.

To help, I searched the web and  tried to recall what I’ve learned about work but all those were about how things should be.  But most workers have little or no control over that.  So I thought of my own reasons and ways.

First I think of why I work.  A picture of my 4 little kids and wife can make anything bearable.

Then I think how it can get worse.  I look at what others do and things start to look better.  See http://blog.compassion.com/the-dignity-of-work/

Finally and most importantly, I make my work a prayer, an act of worship and adoration by offering it to God.  I pray a morning offering to start my day and short prayers during breaks like, “Lord I offer this to you.”  And I know that I am like a monk who is constantly praying and in the process, doing the greatest thing that a man can do.