What do you do for a living?

Lately, I've been having a hard time defining the boundaries of this question.

Usually, when someone asks you what you do for a living, you immediately think "career", "job", "whatever it is that I do to make money". Who decided that's what the question entailed?

Living is so much more than just making money. Why does our job have to define that in its entirety?

Sure, in order to pay the bills, I work at a hospital's pediatric ER.

I try to do many other things for a living though. I go to school (which I'm beginning to think is becoming a career in itself. ha.), I travel, I read, I spend time with people I love. I'd like to think I've helped put some food on the plates of those less fortunate, though I've really been just a middle man somewhere in the mix. I've never actually seen what the food banks actually do with the food. http://www.rockforaremedy.org The site is down now, thanks to the lovely folks who hosted it. One day they just decided to go out of business and not tell any of their clients about it. Look for it soon, though, it should be back up in the near future. I hope.

I feel like my life has slowed down in the last few months. Just a year ago, I was all over the place, all the time. From last March until about the end of October, I was in (several parts of) Florida, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachussets, Alabama, Georgia, California, Illinois, and Mexico. While it was deliciously fun, looking back I realize it was happening so fast that I didn't have much time to savor everything that was happening. These days it's more relaxed, and I have time to bask in the warmth of the sun that's shining on me at the moment. I am truly blessed.

Next time someone asks you what you do for a living, stop and think about all the things that make you feel alive before you give them an answer.