Celestial Relativity and Your J-O-B

I had insomnia last night. As is so often the case, a random thought will wake or greet me and keep my brain churning until sleep returns. Last night’s special was about space and careers. I’m not talking about astronomy, but more like the relative influences of heavenly bodies and the things we do for money.

For some, work is the sun. It’s all-consuming and its influence is vast. There is no way to go through life without a constant awareness of it. People in this group are so enmeshed in what they do that there’s no escaping it. Sure, they might go on vacation, but that’s just the sun setting. It’s still there, waiting to return. Since self becomes indistinguishable from the work, these career lifers tend to do well in a capitalist society.

Then there are those for whom work is the moon. Less obvious than the sun, but quietly exerting influence without stopping. I think this defines much of corporate America. The 9-5 job, the cadence of climbing the ladder, and the commonly-accepted rhythms of time off are all as pervasive as the tides.

The last group are satellites. (And before you get on me about satellites not being celestial, just remember that this whole line of thinking took place around 3am. Gimme a little latitude here.) Unlike the single presence of the sun or moon, this group has variety. They are purpose driven and time limited. The interconnections are understood and orchestrated so as not to make all of them crash to earth in fiery balls. Without satellites, much of modern living simply wouldn’t work.

As for me? I rather like satellites. I can be damn good at the work I do, I provide benefit to others, and I’m able adopt the path of a different satellite should I choose.

How about you?