It is a four letter word. We are brought up to believe in its inevitability and though we believe it is essential to our survival, we also believe that it will not, in part, be fun. Work! If only I didn't have to work, I would....
If you can finish that sentence, you may feel unhappy in your work. As if work was some silent oppressive force in people's lives.
Being a linguist, I always like to take a look at word history and find out exactly what is the sense of a word. The results are sometimes enlightening. In the case of work, the online etymology dictionary says that one of the Old English root words is weorc or worc, which means "something done, deed, action, proceeding, business, military fortification". There is an interesting note that it also meant "fornication". The Germanic root word is werg, which also gives us the word "urge." "Urge" seems tied to work, coming through the Latin urgo, urgere ( the Romans held no difference between "u" and "v") and through the Germanic root word "werg" (The Roman pronunciation of "v" and the German pronunciation of "W" are the same) Related words are the Gothic word waurkjan, and the Old English word wyrcan also meaning"work;" but also the Gothic word wrikan meaning "persecute," and the Old English word wrecan meaning "drive, hunt, pursue;" All things considered, the context of the word work is murky to say the least. Work seems to have developed with a negative connotation. We think of a good work ethic as being important, yet this is a reasonably new concept only coming into the language in 1959.
Yet for me personally, work has always been a wonderful thing. Not without its trials, it has added immeasurably to my life. The few times in my adult life that I have been briefly without employment have been devastating experiences for me. Not that I can't keep myself amused but although I am an introvert, I do enjoy working with people. Above and beyond that I enjoy being useful. Being allowed to contribute to the greater good through meaningful work is a privilege, that I am grateful for. I have grown through my work, advancing into greater responsibility and being able to do that, more work and responsibility was offered to me. Eventually I want to work for myself, in the service of communicating truths to others. It is work but without the negative context which can come with it. If work is meaningful, if it makes use of our talents, and we can actualize ourselves and contribute to humanity in our own particular way, work has no negative for us. If not, then it is somehow akin to selling ourselves, debasing ourselves, a.k.a. fornication. If you have work like that, get out! Life is too short to waste and you came here for better. If you can't do it now, get on it! Figure out what you need to do with your life, and begin it! The rest must surely follow.
W onderfully aligning with my path
O ne with my passion
R ealizing my own potential
K eeping learning and helping others
Yeah! I love my work! (Did I mention that it is Friday! Ironic?) Namaste! ;)
If you can finish that sentence, you may feel unhappy in your work. As if work was some silent oppressive force in people's lives.
Being a linguist, I always like to take a look at word history and find out exactly what is the sense of a word. The results are sometimes enlightening. In the case of work, the online etymology dictionary says that one of the Old English root words is weorc or worc, which means "something done, deed, action, proceeding, business, military fortification". There is an interesting note that it also meant "fornication". The Germanic root word is werg, which also gives us the word "urge." "Urge" seems tied to work, coming through the Latin urgo, urgere ( the Romans held no difference between "u" and "v") and through the Germanic root word "werg" (The Roman pronunciation of "v" and the German pronunciation of "W" are the same) Related words are the Gothic word waurkjan, and the Old English word wyrcan also meaning"work;" but also the Gothic word wrikan meaning "persecute," and the Old English word wrecan meaning "drive, hunt, pursue;" All things considered, the context of the word work is murky to say the least. Work seems to have developed with a negative connotation. We think of a good work ethic as being important, yet this is a reasonably new concept only coming into the language in 1959.
Yet for me personally, work has always been a wonderful thing. Not without its trials, it has added immeasurably to my life. The few times in my adult life that I have been briefly without employment have been devastating experiences for me. Not that I can't keep myself amused but although I am an introvert, I do enjoy working with people. Above and beyond that I enjoy being useful. Being allowed to contribute to the greater good through meaningful work is a privilege, that I am grateful for. I have grown through my work, advancing into greater responsibility and being able to do that, more work and responsibility was offered to me. Eventually I want to work for myself, in the service of communicating truths to others. It is work but without the negative context which can come with it. If work is meaningful, if it makes use of our talents, and we can actualize ourselves and contribute to humanity in our own particular way, work has no negative for us. If not, then it is somehow akin to selling ourselves, debasing ourselves, a.k.a. fornication. If you have work like that, get out! Life is too short to waste and you came here for better. If you can't do it now, get on it! Figure out what you need to do with your life, and begin it! The rest must surely follow.
W onderfully aligning with my path
O ne with my passion
R ealizing my own potential
K eeping learning and helping others
Yeah! I love my work! (Did I mention that it is Friday! Ironic?) Namaste! ;)
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