A private Facebook group of which I am a member had a great discussion recently about, “What would you do for a living if money were no object?” I loved all the various answers that were given, but I found myself holding back and really soul searching the answer.

I’m either blessed with or cursed with an interest in a wide variety of “jobs.” I actually enjoy building spreadsheets and doing office-type work. I find a deep joy in photography and in writing. I like to organize events (even if you’d never know it the way I will stress and complain.) I want to work with my university. I’m a listener and briefly considered psychology as a second degree. And I love bartending and the bar business. The list could go on and on.

At the end of the day, I could only think to say, “Help people.”  If money was no object, I want to help people. But not in any sort of set conventional way, per se. So I can’t say, “Oh I’d go work for this organization.”

No, when a bride just can’t afford a photographer, I’d love to do a wedding for free. When someone needs someone to talk to, but can’t afford professional help, I want to sit and listen and give them a shoulder to cry on. When a band needs a ride to the airport, I want to load them up in my truck, gear and all, and take them there. A fundraiser needs a flyer for their event, I want to make it for them. I  would be that go-to person who makes life so randomly easier for people.

A few days later, in the same group, a member lamented being alone in a new city. Advice quickly came in on how to meet new friends.

Suddenly, I realized, my want to help people is exactly why I do some of the things I devote way more time to than I probably should, because they DON’T pay the bills.

When I moved to Nashville, I had a small set of built-in friends through my husband. But I knew I needed and wanted to set out to make my own friends. I needed that. And the first place I turned to was my alumni group… they offered me a chance to make friends who WEREN’T tied to my husband, but tied to me. And it made such a difference for me as I settled into life in Nashville..

And that is why I devote more time to that club than I do almost anything else. Because it helped me… and I pray that by keeping the club alive and growing it that I can help others.

The photo prompt for today on Instagram was, “Joy is…” The photo above is what I took for the prompt, because I looked around me and I realized joy can be finding something you love to do and doing it. I love working with my alumni group. I love taking photos. I love blogging. I love working on business stuff for my parents’ business. And I love a good cup of coffee.  Right there in front of me was all things that give me joy.

So maybe… maybe at the end of the day, I’m already doing what I would do even if money were no object. It might be obvious even to me, but its my driving force at heart. And that’s pretty cool to realize.