Hey hey! Welcome to this week’s edition of the Five Minute Friday writing prompt link-up.
If you’re new here, a special welcome to you!
Click here to learn more about the link-up and how it works.
This week’s FMF writing prompt is: WORK
My brother-in-law has been visiting from South Africa this summer, and I took him for his first U-Pick Michigan blueberry picking experience this week. He has some special needs and cognitive disadvantages, but understands much of what is going on around him.
As we picked the ripe blueberries from the bushes in the cool of the summer evening, he asked me, “Kate? They give you money?” In other words, do they pay us for picking these berries?
I had to shake my head and explain, “No, we pay them to let us pick the berries.”
Then my 17-year-old daughter chimed in, “Whoever came up with the idea of U-Pick fruit is genius . . . ‘Let’s get people to harvest our crop for us, then pay us for making them do the work.'”
This whole conversation got me thinking about work, about finding enjoyment from work, and about the reasons people work.
In recent conversations with other friends, we’ve discussed the pros and cons of two different work perspectives: either taking any job offer available with gratitude for the work, or holding out to find something that gives us a personal sense of meaning and fulfillment.
I suppose there are seasons in which each option could be valid — and of course circumstances when the only option is to take the job, love it or hate it.
All of this cast my mind to a recent clip I saw on Instagram from former president Barack Obama, related to an upcoming documentary on work. It was a thought-provoking conversation, and one I’m glad I heard.
Watch the clip on Instagram here.
See the full documentary trailer here.
STOP.
+++
In case you missed it . . .
This past week I shared some of my favorites in honor of Prime Day:
BEST AMAZON PRODUCTS FOR WRITERS
+++
FEATURED RESOURCE
The Five-Minute Writing Prompt Journal
+++
Join the link-up with your own five-minute freewrite on the prompt, WORK, below:Â
It’s work to write the stuff I do,
graffiti upon death’s dun wall,
and I gotta say it true,
sometimes it is no fun at all
to face what I’d as lief ignore,
to spell it out and tell the tale
for others to whom it’s in store
to walk this brutal blessed trail.
Yes, blessed is what I meant,
for I’m changed and would not now return
to that dark and drear descent
of a man who would not learn
that for his soul to touch the sky,
his dreams and ego had to die.
Had an interruption, but I figure the total writing time was under five minutes.
When I was a small child, I dreamed of a unique music career. Parents often model fed up when I shouted the lyrics of songs (the same ones, of course). Today I am 25 years old, maybe I have not become a famous singer or musician, but I am realizing myself in a completely different industry.First and foremost, I am about to be married to the greatest man in the world. This is my main calling. Outside of marriage, I’m going to be a famous writer. Today, I run an Instagram profile where Christian things happen to others. In addition, my bullet journal for Christians “365 days with God” will be released soon. I believe that God has the best plan for me and will find me a job, as Regina Brett wrote in her book
I always enjoyed picking my own strawberries or tomatoes growing up in the farm land of southern Florida. It did strike me as funny to pay to do the work. Much like self check out today.
If we see our work as from God, there’s a different kind of enjoyment and delight.
I use to work as a Certified Nurse Aide. I did.homehealth and took care of people with Disabilities. I really enjoy my work. This was my calling by the Lord
But in September 23,2013 I had Lung Cancer and had to have surgery. The surgery took the top part off lung out
He told me I had three different kind of Cancer in my lung . The good news he got it all out.When I was having surgery I was suppose to renew my license
So I lost them and couldn’t work as a Nurse Aide any more