I WISH I HAD ACCUMULATED A LOT MORE STUFF

I was watching one of my favorite television programs today, “Sunday Morning,” and one segment dealt with the topic of job remuneration vs. job satisfaction.

And since I have worked about as many jobs, vocations and professions in my long life, as my mother (literally) had diagnoses, (drum roll – 50), I can say I absolutely relate to this topic.

The jest of the program was that “when push comes to shove” people would rather work a job which pays less, sometimes a great deal less, but which is satisfying and/or impactful, than work a job which pays big money, but is stressful, and unsatisfying.

Whomever the network representative happened to be interviewing at the moment, (an expert in the field, I presume) made the statement,

“Nobody lies on their deathbed and says,

‘I wish I had collected a lot more crap.’”

They simply don’t.

Since 99 percent of my pastoral counseling career is behind me, it can finally be told.

At one time, I was fully engaged in the counseling ministry, and was seeing 20-25 cases a week. And though my hourly fee was set at $45.00, it was expected that I would offer sliding scale and pro bono counseling to anyone who applied for the same; without question, proof or investigation.

And though I was an independent contractor at this church, I requested financial assistance, and much to the credit of the pastor and official board, I received a monthly stipend.

In spite of what I gleaned from my hourly sessions, and the additional stipend, during the course of fifteen years at this location my yearly gross averaged $20,000, and only twice reached $30,000 during that decade and a half.

To be fair, from time to time I griped a wee bit, and I sometimes felt the whole thing was a bit unfair, but by in large, well, I simply loved what I did there, and thrived on the success of my clients.

For you see, during the course of my counseling ministry at this church, and at two other locations, I have literally “sat with” thousands of men and women and boys and girls.

And what a blessing it has been to make a difference in the lives of those whom God has set in my pathway. How inestimably gracious God has been to use me as He has.

As the television program inferred,

“No one on their death bed ever says, ‘I wish I had accumulated a lot more stuff.’”

That’s certainly not what I will be thinking about on my death bed.

By William McDonald, PhD. Excerpt from "(Mc)Donald's Daily Diary" Vol. 80. Copyright pending

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