My new friend Tina uses this question to strike up conversations. So I was a little nervous when she sent it my way because a) I’m not reading anything at the moment and b) the last book I read was a silly bit of chick lit by British author Sophie Kinsella. But as I was explaining the book to her, I realized it’s not quite so silly.
The book is about a “high powered” corporate lawyer in London who, after making a mistake that effectively destroys her legal career, runs to the country and takes a job as a housekeeper. Free from her old workaholic lifestyle, she learns to relax, bake bread, make friends and fall in love.
It was crazy reading this book, because I basically went through the same transformation in 2007. I left journalism temporarily to go to France, and when I came back I couldn’t bring myself to go back to that stressful lifestyle. I started waiting tables and I learned to relax, make friends, date, etc. I did not learn how to bake bread, though.
Every now and then I feel pressure (from myself, mostly) to take up some professional path. I don’t know why. I genuinely enjoy waiting tables; it’s a good way to make a living.
It’s really scary to be 18, 19 and 20 and making decisions that you think will affect the rest of your life. What school am I going to, what am I going to study, how am I going to support myself after? I see my younger brother Sam going through the same things in the near future.
If someone had told me I’d go to college, earn a degree and then go back to waiting tables I would’ve laughed at them. But it turned out to be a viable alternative to my own workaholic lifestyle. And I can honestly say I’m happier because of it.
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