In my current state of semi-retirement, I cannot help but look around at all of the jobs I had never had and wonder what route my life would have taken if I had walked down any of those alternative paths instead of the ones I did; so many choices, so many prospects. I get a similar feeling when I look around at a concert or ball game and marvel at all of the people I see, the faces I don’t know, so, so many. Who are they? Are they having fun? I examine their faces with some precision. I like looking at people and wondering about them.
I constantly like to flirt with the idea of what if (especially now that I have the time to do it.) What if I were reinventing myself today at this point in my life…or better yet earlier when I was much younger; what if I had gone with an entirely different profession than I did. How would my life today be different today or would it? There are so many alternatives; so many formulas for success to examine.
If I were making a choice today, I think my professional direction would center on occupations that entertain people; ones that keep people amused or in high spirits.
No, I don’t see a clown face in my future (not that kind of entertainment) but I’ve always toyed with the idea of working in a 5 star hotel, something with a casino attached perhaps and the opportunity to travel and live abroad as an option to the employment. How magnificent would that be to work for a company that sent you all over the world to live, to engage, and to interact with people of all cultures on their dime?
Years ago, I heard about what I thought was a really incredible job: working on the Queen Mary and engaging senior citizens in conversation, cards, dancing and dining experiences to enhance their travel experience. Qualified persons should be well educated, interested in multiple hobbies, capable of mixing well with guests and seaworthy. This sounded like me to the letter except I was married to a non traveler at that time, had a family; had a job that needed me (or so I thought), and was definitely landlocked and so this path was uncrossed and untested.
People who engage others in amusement activities must be a particularly unique breed. I picture the cruise mentality with a little Disney thrown in for good measure: Smiles, enchanting personalities, outgoing individuals who enjoy the act of connecting with people; artists of humanity.
It’s a wonderful thing to have time on your hands to think about the future, the past; it’s undoubtedly a luxury of sorts; a mental sport of thinking fun. But I have a theory about fun and enjoyment: it should not be a passive activity (is that an oxymoron?). Personal and social engagements must be an active sport; one that causes your mouth to reflex into a smile and your mind to have the time and luxury to engage in “what if’s”.
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