Embarking on My Otium
Blog / Produced by The High Calling
"Without knowledge of self there is no knowledge of God." —John Calvin
Watch out! I am headed for the door! My thirty-one years of tenured service in higher education is coming to an end. A luminous new calling awaits me!
My friends and family are more than a little concerned. They seem to believe that I am on the "A+" list for mental illness; after all, who in her right mind would surrender a good job before securing another line of work? It is unfathomable that I would leave a successful career as a professor before Social Security eligibility. When I tell them that I am answering a "new call" for servant leadership, they ask, "What call?" I reply, "I don't know—yet." Faces shout back at me, "Are you crazy?" Meanwhile, planning for my otium—creative leisure—has become my priority; without hesitation or guilt, I accept this assignment. How absolutely wonderful to finally say, "I deserve this run in the sun!"
As for challenges, there will be many new and old detours, stop signs, and pot holes; nevertheless, that inner voice, fueled by prayers, assures me that the human costs are higher to stay at this station in life than they are to move forward. This is a time of thanksgiving and an invitation to learn greater lessons. And though the departure date is a few months away, I have already begun to load up my "friends" for the journey.
Passenger BIBLE, take the first seat, please! On board, Kahil Gibran . . . help me always to remember that in the joy of leisure travel, reading, and writing "knowledge and understanding are life's faithful companions who will never be untrue to you. For knowledge is your crown and understanding your staff; and when they are with you, you can possess no greater treasures."
Step up, Henry Nouwen! When midnight covers the horizon, remind me that "a burden, even a small one, when carried alone and in isolation can destroy us, but a burden when carried as part of God's Burden, can lead us to new life. This is the great mystery of faith."
Grab hold, Helen Keller! Stand near that I might better know how "character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved." Wait for Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth, if you will . . . a fine trio you will make, arm-in-arm!
Can't leave without you, Martin Luther King, Jr.: we must keep the dream alive. Need your song, Marian Anderson: we must never lose the sound of love. Take my hand, Rumi, and tell me again how life continuously clears "you out for some new delight." Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, your space is reserved. Hop on board, WORD FRIENDS, one and all!
I am ready. And I am encouraged. This new call welcomes opportunities to discover and to celebrate others and self. Ralph Waldo Emerson affirms: "Every spirit builds itself a house, and beyond its house a world, and beyond its world a heaven. Know then that world exists for you."
Otium moments, here I come!
Watch out! I am headed for the door! My thirty-one years of tenured service in higher education is coming to an end. A luminous new calling awaits me!
My friends and family are more than a little concerned. They seem to believe that I am on the "A+" list for mental illness; after all, who in her right mind would surrender a good job before securing another line of work? It is unfathomable that I would leave a successful career as a professor before Social Security eligibility. When I tell them that I am answering a "new call" for servant leadership, they ask, "What call?" I reply, "I don't know—yet." Faces shout back at me, "Are you crazy?" Meanwhile, planning for my otium—creative leisure—has become my priority; without hesitation or guilt, I accept this assignment. How absolutely wonderful to finally say, "I deserve this run in the sun!"
As for challenges, there will be many new and old detours, stop signs, and pot holes; nevertheless, that inner voice, fueled by prayers, assures me that the human costs are higher to stay at this station in life than they are to move forward. This is a time of thanksgiving and an invitation to learn greater lessons. And though the departure date is a few months away, I have already begun to load up my "friends" for the journey.
Passenger BIBLE, take the first seat, please! On board, Kahil Gibran . . . help me always to remember that in the joy of leisure travel, reading, and writing "knowledge and understanding are life's faithful companions who will never be untrue to you. For knowledge is your crown and understanding your staff; and when they are with you, you can possess no greater treasures."
Step up, Henry Nouwen! When midnight covers the horizon, remind me that "a burden, even a small one, when carried alone and in isolation can destroy us, but a burden when carried as part of God's Burden, can lead us to new life. This is the great mystery of faith."
Grab hold, Helen Keller! Stand near that I might better know how "character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved." Wait for Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth, if you will . . . a fine trio you will make, arm-in-arm!
Can't leave without you, Martin Luther King, Jr.: we must keep the dream alive. Need your song, Marian Anderson: we must never lose the sound of love. Take my hand, Rumi, and tell me again how life continuously clears "you out for some new delight." Bishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, your space is reserved. Hop on board, WORD FRIENDS, one and all!
I am ready. And I am encouraged. This new call welcomes opportunities to discover and to celebrate others and self. Ralph Waldo Emerson affirms: "Every spirit builds itself a house, and beyond its house a world, and beyond its world a heaven. Know then that world exists for you."
Otium moments, here I come!
Do you find it challenging to be a Christian in a competitive workplace? Discover how to enjoy a successful career without sacrificing your soul! Encouraging you to hold firm to your faith in win-at-all-costs corporate environments, Tim Keller and Katherine Leary Alsdorf help you carry your beliefs from church to job, stay true to your values, make God-honoring choices, and more.