Apprenticeships and Internships

"Where your talents and the world's needs cross,
there lies your vocation."
- Aristotle

Here is an interesting thought...

We spend much of our pre school-years, and even our pre job-years,
as Apprentices and Interns. These are the years we spend doing
for free the things we truly love.

When we do the things we love, we are acting in Harmony with
our Divine Nature. And although we may refer to these activities
as hobbies or interests they are, in fact, activities which resonate
with our True Nature.

If our interest is to be an athlete, we will spend these formative
years learning, practicing, and perfecting the particular aspects
and nuances of whatever sport we have a deep interest in.

If our interest is to be a botanist, we will spend a great portion
of our time learning to name and recognize different trees and
plants. We will even venture into the woods and collect different
leaves and preserve them inside pages of a scrapbook.

If our interest is chemistry, we will engulf ourselves in chemistry
sets and experiments.

If we reflect back, most of us will probably remember our childhood
interests and hobbies which were a driving part of our life in our
magical and mystical pre school, and pre job, years.

And though we may think that we were merely "playing" when we
immersed ourselves in these activities, we were in fact playing at
Learning what truly interests us.  And if we give these activities
careful Thought, we will find that these initial hobbies and interests
were our first Apprenticeships and Internships. And, these early
Apprenticeships and Internships were nothing less than our
voluntary self-education and Self-Initiation in a hobby or field that
is very dear to us.

We pursued these early interests enthusiastically, lovingly, and
for free! We were learning without even thinking about it. And,
we became very good at these interests simply because we
loved what we were doing.

Many individuals carry these early Apprenticeships with them for
their entire lives and build their careers upon them. These
individuals stick to their dreams and labor many years in their
self-chosen Apprenticeships until their skills are properly honed.
Then, after years of Sacrifice in which the necessary talents and
skills have been properly refined and mastered , these talented
individuals emerge as the superstars, geniuses, and Trailblazers
in the particular field of their childhood Choice.

Yet there is another beautiful and mystical Gift which is lavished
upon everyone who pursues their childhood Apprenticeships...
even if they do not become superstars or Trailblazers.

These individuals experience an Incarnation full of the same
magic and enchantment that consumed them during their
childhood years. To look at it in another way, these individuals
never forfeit either their childhood, their dreams, or their
enthusiasms.

So, for those of us who pursued our childhood Apprenticeships
and Internships, let us recall how we laughed with enthusiasm
and excitement each and every time we learned something new
and interesting in those activities and fields which are very dear
to us. And, above all, let us forever Remember those magical
and mystical days when we enthusiastically did for free the
things we are getting paid to do today!

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Disclaimer: None of my articles should be considered to be
either advice or expertise. They are simply personal opinions
and no more. Everyone is encouraged to seek competent
advice from a licensed, registered, or certified professional
should such advice or service be required.

© copyright Joseph Panek 2011