Na na Why don't you get a job?

I've had many people suggest that I get a job. Not because I sit on my ass all day or because I'm missing payments, but because I lack routine and financial stability at this point in life. It's a logical response to an unstable lifestyle and to money problems. However, it typically arises from that person's own discomfort with risk or personal experience, and not in response to my reality. In reality, my money situation is far better off than most. When others prompt me to think about this route in life, my response is simply, "Jobs are for people who rely on regular paychecks for comfort and stability." Jobs are beautiful constructs of an economy where many people cannot handle the unknown. I am not implying that this is a bad thing. Plenty of people cannot handle instability because they have children to care for or debt payments with high interest or other obligations. Others can't handle the unknown simply because of mental anxiety or psychological needs. Whatever the case, I am not one of those people - yet (I'll have kids someday)! Naturally, I do need comfort and stability like any human, but my comfort and stability relies on relationships with other people.

I'm not adverse to ever getting a job, but at this point it would simply be to make money. While money is an essential for our basic needs, many of us have forgotten what real NEEDS are. Minimalists, like myself, require little money to live because once our basic needs are met, we are content to forgo tons of material goods, cable tv, weekly bar nights, movie theatre outings, shopping sprees or even any clothes shopping in general, or eating out at restaurants frequently. These luxuries are wonderful, of course, and when I have a little disposable income I like to engage in some of those activities, too, particularly when they facilitate building relationships. But I don't NEED them.

It is for this reason that I have not gone out and snagged myself a "job." Having a job interferes with my ability to facilitate relationships, as well as my ability to pursue my own passions. Perfect example: I spent the past two days in labor with a client. She called me at 4am Wednesday morning and I met her at the hospital a little over an hour later (my commute was an hour). We had no idea what would happen, how she'd progress, when the baby would be born, etc. I cancelled my Wednesday meetings and stayed with her. I stayed overnight. Then Thursday morning came around and I rearranged my Thursday plans as well... There are not many jobs that are going to allow me the flexibility to leave whenever I get a call and to be gone indefinitely. The people I had to cancel on, or reschedule with, were accepting of the circumstances because of the relationships I'd built up with them. Attending that laboring woman was my top priority and having the freedom to not worry and be present to her was an incredible luxury. I DO get luxuries in life, too!

(*Warning: some swearing involved... )