Taking pleasure in the work
One of the bright lights in this strange, difficult time has been the opportunity to witness a kind of joyful work.
When Stephanie and I started Xerophile, we decided we wanted to work with mission-driven organizations. We wanted impact to be an important part of what we do, and we wanted to work with clients for whom having an impact was important too.
And in this time, it has been especially wonderful to amplify the work our clients are doing — nurturing the next generation of conservationists, educating refugee communities, empowering individuals through storytelling. We’ve seen firsthand the impact they’re having on their worlds.
But what I hadn’t anticipated was the impact our clients would have on me. In a year that’s pushed many of us to our edge, I’ve watched them brave the elements, start new ventures and navigate financial uncertainty. In the face of obstacles of all shapes and sizes, I’ve watched them bring a level of commitment and passion that is inspiring. I’ve also witnessed their childlike enthusiasm. And I’ve seen the ways that work can be enlivening — work as a vocation, as an expression of mission and purpose, and sometimes, even, as play.
Tobias Landberg of the Amphibian Foundation surveys a nature preserve in Atlanta and finds a snapping turtle. Photo: Arvin Temkar
The truth is that I have not always heeded my own callings, which is why I hold their examples close. I have sought comfort and convenience in the face of uncertainty. At times, I have turned the volume down on my creative impulses. This is something I have worked hard to change, especially in the last year and our first as a company. I’m proud of what we’ve built, but it hasn’t always been easy. Our clients’ stories are a powerful reminder to keep going.
As I think of the lessons of these months, I am reminded of the words of composer Mohammed Fairouz, whose operas and symphonies have been performed at Carnegie Hall and The Kennedy Center:
“For those of us who adore our daily forms of labor, let us never forget to gratefully take pleasure in the work. No matter how overwhelming the deadlines, complex the execution or impossible the task at hand may seem. Let us approach every one of our figurative Everests...with fierce conviction and vitality of purpose. But, above all, let’s approach it all with an unwavering sense of the sacred game. Life, unrepeatable as it is, is worth full, wet, contact participation in the sport. If we’re lucky then we can hope that the fruit of our work will become the richness that belongs to a generation unimagined.”
Here’s to gratefully taking pleasure in the work itself.
— Monica