"did you have to take time off work to come here today?"

and i wasn't sure how to answer that question.

i remember when i was a young mom,

homeschooling my kiddos and inevitably

people who crossed my path would ask what i did.

hmm..it was pretty easy to answer then.

four kids. lots to do. they were young.

it was a full time job.

(it still is a full time job)

then for a long season,

 i had many many jobs out there in the world

and  i would be able to answer the qustion simply.

and didn't have time to go to appointments it seemed.

now,

however..

what is is i do.

what is my work

and how do i explain a year of rest to a stranger

or a receptionist

who is just making polite curious conversation.

 she doesn't want or need to know the real reason i am off work.

those details aren't much fun to share.

so i got to thinking.

if i were brave enough this is what i would say.

i work for the department of hope.

full time.

my office supplies are paints, glue, paper, stamps, little gifts that fit in envelopes, secret messages, mail, lots of mail, tea, and books. i use alot of journals as well. and pens. super great collection of pens in my office.

the department of hope is located

everywhere.

in the car, in bed, at the library, in the garden, starbucks, the blue chair, the kitchen counter, the floor. wandering the forest trails or sandy beach edges.

i have a portable office

i would say.

my job is pretty fantastic. i pretty much spend the day being hopeful.

spreading hope. believing in hope. seeking hope. talking to myself about hope.

wearing hope on necklaces, painting birdies of hope.

 writing about what  hopeful looks like and how it appears when  i feel no hope at all,

just to discover that i still have my job the next morning and i start being hopeful all over again.

somedays it's all about me

and other days it's all about you.

spreading hope.

that's what my job this year is i will say.

( of course that isn't what i said. i told her something about being sick, needing a year off..etc..it felt awkward and messy and too narrow a picture to paint of me. That's why i decided i needed a job description )

feel free to add to it if you wish.

this is just the first draft.