Two thousand and ninety-seven. 2097. That's the total number of days I worked at HP, my first job. It's also the longest I've worked at any job. That changes today, as I complete 2097 days of working at Anita Methodist School, Chennai.
This world loves streaks - Snapchat streaks, Apple Fitness streaks, etc. and I love stats, memories and looking back on how God has gently guided me, while providing for me on my life journey. So look back with me...
If you're relatively new to my life, the following articles may help you understand my journey a bit more:
Quitting HP (March 2012)
Adios Publicidad (March 2017)
Taking Too Long (September 2019) Note 1 about Joan Miss
An Absolute Treasure of a Human Being (March 2022) Note 2 about Joan Miss
As I look back on nearly six years of working part-time at Anita Methodist School, I have a flurry of thoughts. Let's look at five aspects of my time here.
1. Freedom
A core life concept, for me, is that Jesus came to give life, and life in all its abundance. Tied in with this concept, is the idea of freedom a sort of swaraj. The amount of freedom that my job at Anita Methodist has given me is insane. While I do have targets, workloads and deliverables, there is so much of space and room given for me to 'colour outside the lines'. Honestly, this is such a freeing concept, something we can appreciate only if we've experienced it.
2. Grace
From Joan Miss, the Principal, to the support staff Annas and Akkas at the school, there is so much of grace. Grace that blankets my flaws, accommodates my quirks, and makes room for me to thrive. I have definitely had some very heated discussions and arguments, yes, but grace shines brighter - think of a warm fire during a cold, snowy evening. That's the image in my head of the grace afforded to me at Anita Methodist these past six years.
3. Growth
One of my biggest motivations in life is to grow. The past six years have been such an amazing time of growth. Anger management, work-schedule-tasks management, knowledge growth in terms of networking and technology, understanding people and their machinations - there's so much of organic growth in the past six years due to my time at Anita Methodist, that it's almost explosive.
4. Provision
While Anita Methodist is not the highest-paying job in the country, through my job here - and what that has enabled me to do, God has ensured that my family and I have been sufficiently provided. In terms of money, in terms of material provisions, and in terms on intangible needs - my job at Anita Methodist has exceeded all possible expectations of provision.
5. Gratitude
Finally, the sense of gratitude that exists. My colleagues would thank me for simple things. And then fight with me when I thank them for doing something really big, cos "that's what I'm supposed to do for you, Dan" or something. My own sense of gratitude that I now have, has been developed and evolved by the culture prevalent in the school. I am definitely very grateful to God for the opportunity to work here, and the opportunities and possibilities that me working here has opened up for me.
Thank you, Jesus, for every point along this journey. Thank you Joan Miss for every thing you have done for me. Thank you Andreas for asking me if I would work for Ashraya. Thank you Elango Annan for asking me if I would work in Madras. Each one of these landmark events have led to me being where I am today - 2097 days and counting at Anita Methodist School.
This world loves streaks - Snapchat streaks, Apple Fitness streaks, etc. and I love stats, memories and looking back on how God has gently guided me, while providing for me on my life journey. So look back with me...
If you're relatively new to my life, the following articles may help you understand my journey a bit more:
Quitting HP (March 2012)
Adios Publicidad (March 2017)
Taking Too Long (September 2019) Note 1 about Joan Miss
An Absolute Treasure of a Human Being (March 2022) Note 2 about Joan Miss
As I look back on nearly six years of working part-time at Anita Methodist School, I have a flurry of thoughts. Let's look at five aspects of my time here.
1. Freedom
A core life concept, for me, is that Jesus came to give life, and life in all its abundance. Tied in with this concept, is the idea of freedom a sort of swaraj. The amount of freedom that my job at Anita Methodist has given me is insane. While I do have targets, workloads and deliverables, there is so much of space and room given for me to 'colour outside the lines'. Honestly, this is such a freeing concept, something we can appreciate only if we've experienced it.
2. Grace
From Joan Miss, the Principal, to the support staff Annas and Akkas at the school, there is so much of grace. Grace that blankets my flaws, accommodates my quirks, and makes room for me to thrive. I have definitely had some very heated discussions and arguments, yes, but grace shines brighter - think of a warm fire during a cold, snowy evening. That's the image in my head of the grace afforded to me at Anita Methodist these past six years.
3. Growth
One of my biggest motivations in life is to grow. The past six years have been such an amazing time of growth. Anger management, work-schedule-tasks management, knowledge growth in terms of networking and technology, understanding people and their machinations - there's so much of organic growth in the past six years due to my time at Anita Methodist, that it's almost explosive.
4. Provision
While Anita Methodist is not the highest-paying job in the country, through my job here - and what that has enabled me to do, God has ensured that my family and I have been sufficiently provided. In terms of money, in terms of material provisions, and in terms on intangible needs - my job at Anita Methodist has exceeded all possible expectations of provision.
5. Gratitude
Finally, the sense of gratitude that exists. My colleagues would thank me for simple things. And then fight with me when I thank them for doing something really big, cos "that's what I'm supposed to do for you, Dan" or something. My own sense of gratitude that I now have, has been developed and evolved by the culture prevalent in the school. I am definitely very grateful to God for the opportunity to work here, and the opportunities and possibilities that me working here has opened up for me.
Thank you, Jesus, for every point along this journey. Thank you Joan Miss for every thing you have done for me. Thank you Andreas for asking me if I would work for Ashraya. Thank you Elango Annan for asking me if I would work in Madras. Each one of these landmark events have led to me being where I am today - 2097 days and counting at Anita Methodist School.