when your work
is your joy
you can never
be overworked
only overjoyed
My friend is doing important work in the world and I take great joy in seeing him live his calling. I can relate to him, but I also know that if we seek most of our joy from one part of our lives – our work, our exercise, our hobby, our marriage – we can become a little one-dimensional and too dependent on this source.
I’m reminded of this Rabindranath Tagore poem that served as my “why” I started Joie de Vivre boutique hotel company when I was 26 years old.
I slept and dreamt
that life was joy.
I awoke and saw
that life was duty.
I worked — and behold,
duty was joy.