Money isn't everything

I was having dinner with my niece Selina from Las Vegas the other night before the Star Anna show we attended at the Tractor Tavern in Ballard. I shared with her that the same morning I had turned down an offer for a job that would have paid me more money than I've ever made in my life. The job was interesting and important. I would have been working with people I respect and they promised me a lot of autonomy. They were guaranteeing me a month of vacation each year, a relocation allowance and performance bonuses. So why did I turn it down? The true answer is probably too complex to write in a few sentences, but I can lay out the broad strokes here. First, I love what I do right now. I manage a mediation program that touches peoples lives in a powerful way. I have been in the position for 2.5 years, and I feel like I am just hitting my stride. Second, while I could always use MORE money, I make good money, enough to provide for my means, save for retirement, even travel and buy things that support my passions, like playing music. Third, and probably most important, I have a support community here that I have fostered for 11 years that would not be easily duplicated, especially in a small community like the one this job was going to be in. I realized going through this process, that my reliance on a support system that allows me to stay sane and serene and to serve people who are in true need forms the base on which all of the talents and abilities that I bring to the table is built on. If I take away the base, all bets are off on the rest. I felt a lot of grace as I made this decision. Doing things for the right reasons seems to solidify my faith in myself and in the people and things around me. Life is a gift, and I was given a little snapshot of how blessed I truly am.