Mark Vernon posted about an interview with Diana Athill. She’s 91 years old and is the oldest writer to win the Costa Book Prize for her book, “Somewhere Towards the End”, which is about aging. I can see there is a lot of wisdom in her book and I was especially struck by this –
‘I remember when I was young once hearing my mother talking to someone and saying, thank God she hadn’t had to go to a dance last week. And I thought to myself that if I ever reach the stage when I thank God for not having to go to a dance, I shall kill myself.’
Sometimes I hear a doctor thanking God that a patient hasn’t turned up for his or her appointment and that always makes me think that’s a sad thing to be thanking God for. If I ever find myself thanking God that I don’t have to see patients today, I won’t kill myself, but I’ll go and do something else instead. Why keep doing what isn’t really your passion? And, the other side of that coin, doing what you are passionate about makes your life richer (and maybe even longer!)
Heroes Not Zombies 
I don’t know that I 100% agree with this, Doc. I adore teaching – it truly is my passion and life’s work – but I’m pretty darned grateful for a snow day today. Sometimes, a day “off” is important, even if it’s a day off from something you love.
Very wise observations.
you know mrschili I need days off just as much as anybody else…without days off (preferably filled with what I’m passionate about…..which is a LOT!), then I get over-tired. I’m not saying you need to want to work ALL the time. What I recognised in this author’s statement was that it was the passion for what you were doing that made all the difference. So when I AM at work, it’s important to me that it’s work I’m passionate about, and when I’m play, it’s the same thing, it’s best when my passion is in full flow.
Yes, Doc; that’s it, exactly. When getting up to go to work in the morning becomes something one dreads, one needs to reconsider the path…