On Monday I'm going to Texas for about a month to train for a new job.

It's at a faith-based organization. They reach out to kids in schools and promote staying off drugs, abstinence and also teach them how to deal with peer-pressure.

This is about as close to a 180 I've ever experienced on the road that has been my life. I never thought I'd become a Matt Foley, but alas, I will be living in a van down by the river for the next year or so throughout California, Arizona, Washington and Oregon.

The days have been a mix of waiting, anticipation and sudden remembrances that I should eat whatevers left in the fridge (that is, except, for whatevers wrapped in foil sitting in the back corner which I think got there last Thanksgiving).

I was on my way back home this past weekend and a question suddenly hit me -

- and it's weird, because up until that point I don't think I've really asked myself this -

"Why do you want to do this?"

Good question.

 "Maybe it's because I'm just not that interested in what I've been doing anymore." 

"Or maybe because I've come to the realization that this life's too short to waste on useless pursuits."

All I know is that I had prayed about finding something that was more in step with my beliefs and the next thing I know, this man in Texas who used to live in Riverside calls me up and asks me the same question -

"Why do you want to work here?"

"Well," I said, "I've been looking for work that's more in step with my new-found faith."

"Yeah, but I'm looking at your resume and I see you work in television mostly..."

"You could call what I've been making the past few years television, I suppose."

Turns out he and I are alike - at least in terms of how we feel about our careers. After talking about Riverside landmarks he tells me a little about himself.

He was an exec at some big company once. I'm talking about a pretty decent outfit here that makes something probably sitting on your shelf or is in your hand right now as we speak.

Anyway, after retiring early, he decides to go work someplace more in step with his faith - or, as he put it, a place where he could end up sleeping better at night.

I'd love to have that.

We'll see.

copyright,  © 2007 Paul Silva 

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