Last year I worked as a school social worker.  It was my dream job in theory.  In my mind I had it all planned out.  I knew I was great at working with kids.  I knew I was going to be able to be home in the “afternoons” with my own children.  I would have winter break and summers off.  It was perfect.  But somehow it all went awry.  I couldn’t figure out what was going on when the job that I had longed for, truly, since my graduate course in School Social Work, was in my lap and I was miserable!  All my attempts at spreading kindness and cheer seemed to backfire, anger was all around me (again), paperwork and meetings consumed me, I was exhausted when I picked my boys up from daycare and the babysitter each afternoon just to make it home in time to make dinner.  I was threatened, bullied, intimidated, guilted, ridiculed, ignored and then some.  I decided near the end of the school year that I would finish out my year, but I would resign and return to private psychotherapy practice.  I had decided that the school system was not for me, or I was not for It.  At any rate, I was at peace the day I put in my resignation.

At the end of the year though, to my surprise, one of my school colleagues gave me a plaque that quoted a line from Shakespeare; “…Above all else to thy own self be true.”  I cherished it, and I still do- it hangs on my fridge (not many things do).  It was a message that I needed to hear from the Divine that day, and come to think of it, that year, and this one too.  ….To thy own self be true.

I remember reading and re-reading that plaque looking for the deeper meaning.  (A habit of mine has been to overanalyze a situation to death.)  Today though, just over a year later, the meaning hit me.  “…to thy own self be true” has to do with living in and living out your deep inner passion.  It is not about where you work, or even the people you work with.  It is about living and working your passion.  That means being your true self no matter what circumstances may bring.  It means, listen to your heart, because that is the voice of the Divine inside of you.  It means, consulting the touchstone of your soul, and asking it “what is my gift that I have always known I had?”, then being still long enough to listen to the response, and then acting on the inspiration.

When I look back at that year, I realize I was still holding some remnants of a victim lifestyle that attracted more of the same to me.  I am so thankful for the situations and the people who have allowed me to look at that side of me, and lovingly release it.  I received so many blessings out of that one year of working as a school social worker, and Being my True Self in that environment.  When I look at that year, I would not have done anything different, from the moment I said yes to the job, all the way to the moment I said I would not return.  I honor the position, the people and the lessons that were brought out to me in those days.

As I re-read again with fresh eyes that simple plaque that still has a home on my fridge over a year later, I read it with the motivation to rise above settling for less than my passion.  I read it reminding myself of the beautiful talents and gifts that were given to me Divinely.  I read it and I am urged to just Be who I was always meant to Be.  I knew it as a child, I still could glimpse it as a teen, I knew it as an adult at various points when the clouds would break, and I know it Now- vividly and pointedly.  I know who I am.  I know my role on earth.  I know how I am to proceed with my life.

So today is about a re-grouping and a reminding to my self that my only job on the face of this planet is…above all else, to my own self be true.

THE END.