“Mom, do you like your job?”

A simple question, asked by Zach, as I sat down finally at 10pm to write my progress notes for the clients I saw that day. (The older kids were still up watching a hockey game — these late nights  kill me. Get to bed already!!!)

I thought about it a bit before I answered. Of course, I’ve thought about it before. You do have to ask yourself whether you like what you do 40 plus hours a week for years and years….

“Yes. There are some aspects I love, like helping people, and other aspects I don’t like, like documenting how I help people.”

It then led to a discussion how I always want to do my best in my job , so you have to like it enough.

I shared with them what has really been on my mind a lot over the years as I have worked with people.

When I listen to them, or talk to them, give them advice, hand them tissue for their tears, or high five them for their accomplishments, it always enters my mind, “Long after we are both gone, if I meet these people again in heaven, will I feel proud of how I have treated them? Will I know that I gave them my all? Will they know if I gave them my all?”

That is one of my guiding principles. At least one I try to think of frequently, but often fall short of. We are blessed to interact with people on a daily basis. Our interactions with them can be positive or negative. We never know when something we do or say will make a difference in someone else’s life. People never know how they impact our lives either.

But one day, I believe, we shall meet again, and it will be crystal clear how we impacted each other. I want to be able to look someone square in the eye to say, “I might have messed up at times, but I did my best.”

I want to be able to feel like the 40 hours a week that I spent away from my family working with clients was contributing to making the lives better of these people that I will one day be accountable to in heaven.

Liking my job is one thing, but I want to like the work that I have done within my job and be proud of it.

I want to be able to face all the people I will one day meet in heaven and be able to look them in the eye and have them know that I tried my best. I don’t want to have to avoid any one, or lower my eyes, or bow my head in shame.

That is one thing that motivates me to do my best (even though it may sound weird to some), to correct my wrongs as best I can, to let go of grudges and hurts, and to offer forgiveness wherever and whenever I can (or at least be working on that goal).

I told my son that I’m blessed that my job offers me the opportunity to directly serve people when they are going through some of their greatest trials. But,  whatever our “jobs” here are – outside or within the home  – my hope is that we will all be mindful that one day, we may meet again, and we want that to be a happy occasion, so we need to live our lives accordingly.