Why do Adults ask Children What They Want to Be When They Grow Up? To Get an Idea for Themselves

We are made to work. From the beginning the first man was working the land and caring for it. I don't say this with a downcast countenance - the thought is inspiring actually! I often stand in awe of human industry.

You may have seen a series produced by BBC called Planet Earth of incredible footage of various natural phenomena in remote places around the world. My favorite part though is the last five minutes or so of each episode, called Planet Diaries, that tells off the efforts, teamwork, ingenuity, inventions, risks and perseverance it took to capture all the footage. This blows my mind the most! Man, the expanse of human occupation is astounding! Specialists in the movement of water under bridges; people who design computer chips; traders of obscure numbers; salesmen of mine machinery; people who wipe old peoples bums, in love!; people who create recipes; writers for Horse and Hound; tongue therapists; crime scene photographers... It's amazing what us humans get up to!

You know, the first time the bible records someone being filled with the Spirit, its to work. And to do what they were doing excellently. "He has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts - to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship." (Ex 35:31-33)

Work is good. It's good to be industrious and skilled. It's good to be ambitious and productive. Good for the soul.

This has been a buzz topic in my life for a while and consequently have explored it with many people. It's been eye-opening to discover just how much I'm not alone in my quest to answer The Great Question; to learn just how much I'm surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses regarding The Question; in fact, I haven't spoken with someone who doesn't ask The Question - skilled in what? Productive in what? Industrious in what? How often I've heard the words, "I don't know what I'm doing with my life". Understand, I'm not just talking about people who are in similar circumstances. I'm talking about people who have their masters and are working in their field, ladies with husbands and kids, high school graduates, students currently in a post-secondary program. People who have been passionately working towards a specific profession since I've known them (which is since infancy). Who would have thought!

I'm convinced that if you are someone who feels like everyone around you is whizzing along a specific life path with confidence and clarity and you're just standing there looking dazed, I can say with much conviction that you, sir, are not alone! It can be rather exciting actually.