Explaining what you do for a living to your parents?

As many of you know I have been to my folks place the past few weekends and last weekend at the 50th and 40th anniversary party I had to answer a lot of questions about how "Steven", my brother, was doing.

I don't mind, but when I started to ask a bit more I found that it was the only conversation they could have with me. Steven use to work for a big computer software company, so everyone knew what he did...at least an idea.

Me on the other hand, no one had a clue and when I told them my title you could see this blank stare come across their faces and I would quickly switch the conversation back to them. It was easy to talk about them and their chosen careers: RN, Highway Patrol, Plumber, Electrician, Trucker, Carpenter, Secretary, Tax lady, Physical Therapist...easy to understand exactly what they do.

This hit me again last night after heading up to see my mother and their Pastor. The Pastor asked "what do you do for a living" and as I told her my title the look of "what" came to be.

Now the good news is that after the anniversary party my folks said at dinner "we have no idea what you or Steven do, we just know you make a lot of money". So, I explained as best I could what Steven did and Mom said "is he happy"..my reply was "ask him, but yes I do think he is very happy".

Then it came to me. Now they know I work at a university and have a PhD, but beyond that how do I explain what I do for a living. I have an office so you would think I would have some cool way of explaining it...okay maybe the office doesn't make it cool. I thought for a bit and as my mind raced around how to describe university customer services I said "I get to go to work every day and change someone's life for the better through serving and supporting their needs"! Whoa...it just came out that way.

Now to say the folks got that statement would not be quite honest so I said "I am the person that runs the department that helps learners, faculty, and staff be successful in their education". I then went on to give examples of how my team serves others and is committed to supporting them. All of a sudden Dad says "so you are in charge of helping others get their degree and if they have an issue you help them with it"! Exactly!

Now it took some time for them to think through this, but then Mom said "so, are you happy"? I was elated. For the first time in my life my folks knew what I did and cared about if I was happy with my career!

I used the same description to Pastor Sarah and as she nodded she said "so you get to be the change you want to see"! Exactly!

We all have to explain to others what we do. This is ecspecially true if you just have some general title of director, manager, assistant, associate...the title does not describe what you are passionate enough about to do for 8+ hours a day.

So, how would you explain what you do for a living to your parents, pastors, teachers, friends, or some guy in the line at the theatre? It is amazing to me that once I was able to verbalize this, I reconnected with the passion and drive I have to 'be the change I want to see in the world'.

What do you do for a living?