Quite awhile back I graduated with a degree in social work and immediately landed a paying position in this serving profession. Years on, the form of my work life has evolved, as has my appreciation for the Essence of Service. An Essence whose extraordinary everydayness transcends societal labels and in its own way is as moving and shaking and rewarding as a respected job title or university diploma.
Living the Essence of Service is a vocation unrivaled in beauty and significance. It is Being in the Heart and Responding from there.
The Heart’s natural work is to hear needs and embrace them. Touched by inspiration, the Heart reaches out. It perceives healing opportunities and Initiates wise actions. Knows interconnection, responsibility, and well-being. Is Tender. Fierce. Unrelenting. Generous. Courageous. Comforting. Depending on the need.
Circumstances that propel us beyond the ordinary and that push personal buttons put our Service staying power to the test. The normal routine of relationships, commitments, and professional binds brings its own challenges.
How then to stay fresh? Serving? In the Heart’s vocation? Each of us, I believe, is charged to find personally resonant ways.
Last week my way brought me to three days of hiking with my Mom in Utah’s stunning Bryce Canyon and captivating Kodachrome Basin State Park. Penetrating sun. Clear air. Exquisite rock formations. On the less traveled paths, away from the selfie picture taking crowds, the high desert drew me in, It played on my senses with compelling affinity, matching beauty for beauty my highest ideal of the Heart’s capacity to listen, touch, see, apply and know. I had expected a nice get-away; this embrace exceeded my imagination.
I returned to my workplace renewed, but most importantly I was restored in the Heart’s vocation. Refreshed. I’m grateful.
Goal Fitness 
Thank you for the reminder of the importance of the heart. Heart, 心 (xin) in Chinese, is where all thoughts and emotions are generated. In Chinese medicine there is no ‘brain’ organ or ‘brain’ meridian. The brain is the servant of the heart.
Thank you for your comment, Mary. I love your phrase “The brain is the servant of the Heart”for its guiding truth. And I appreciate you including the Chinese character for Heart. . . I studied Chinese for awhile many years ago, and one of the aspects of the language that I enjoyed was how a basic character like the one for Heart is incorporated into other words for example love.
Sadly the Chinese language has been simplified and ‘love’ no longer has a ‘heart’. Instead of 愛，it is now 爱。 I wrote a post about that. 😦
Alas . . .