Occupational Therapy, Optional

There was a hashtag on Twitter recently about listing five jobs you’ve had.  I considered posting, but I’ve had so many, I didn’t know where to start.

It’s been a long, hard struggle through life to stick to one job.  There have been plenty of part-time ones, without benefits, to try to get by.  Working more than one job at a time was exhausting, especially when dealing with depression.

One good thing that happened along the way is that I went back to college and got a Bachelor’s degree.  Then I was able to make more than minimum wage.  But being a woman and living in an area of dying industries, the pay wasn’t all that good.  At least some jobs had benefits.

Now I’m almost retired, sort of, could be, yet can’t be.  What I am is tired, without the “re.”  Worked as:  secretary; retail stocker/cashier; copying assistant; book-binder; bartender; accounting/bookkeeper; mental health technician; drug/alcohol educator; psychiatric outpatient, intensive outpatient, and inpatient specialist (involving admissions, discharges, getting doctor’s orders, billing, verifying insurances, etc)

I’m tired.  What I’ve been discovering this past year while writing this blog (and sending silly tweets) is that I never really let my creative side get a job.  From time to time I would write, draw, paint but that often would be put aside due to working a “real” job, and thus being tired.  In some jobs I once in awhile got to be somewhat creative, like making a sign to be posted in the office or writing up a song with the patients to help them have fun.  Yes, once in a while, but never for long.

We all have something within us that wants to create, express, and transform the mundane.  I’ve been letting this flow daily now for over a year and I truly feel emotionally and mentally better than I have ever felt in my life, at least on a more consistent basis!  There is something freeing in being able to create - living in the moment - lighting up the dark hallways in one’s mind, finding that path to simply feel good and relax.  I feel refreshed.  I feel rested.  My work here is done. (Well, not really, just for this essay!)          Theresa M

image by geralt on pixabay.com

Black and white photos from National Archives (archives.gov)