Recently, my wife, Angie, has been struggling health-wise with a virus and this weekend a painful tooth. Health issues for her are compounded by her Multiple Sclerosis, increasing her fatigue and thus impacting her mobility. When she has challenging days like these, I am called upon more in my role as her caregiver. While my wife was resting this afternoon, I was working on a freelance editing project. While I was taking a break, the similarities of my various roles in life intrigued me. I began mulling how my service as a freelancer had so many similarities to my role as a caregiver. Caregivers and Freelancers are both acting in the role of servants.
Servant
noun
– a person employed by another (Freelancing)
– a person in the service of another (Caregiving)
(Source: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/servant)
Because I am paid as a freelancer doing creative projects, I can easily overlook the servant side of my work. I think this is most readily apparent when working as an editor and proofreader. As a writer and game designer, you are heavily involved in the creation of new products, while as the editor and proofreader I am employed to offer the service of cleaning up and improving those creations. I am a servant to the writer, game designer, and publisher. This really got me to pondering these two roles in my life, freelancing and caregiving.
As a caregiver, my work can be frustrating, inconvenient, and challenging. Does that sound familiar to any of my fellow freelancers? Yet, I am a caregiver out of love for my wife. I serve her with all my heart. It is a passion of mine thus I strive to do my best in my role as caregiver. You might wonder how that compares to freelancing where you have a choice and get paid. Well, I actually have a choice for both. I choose to be the caregiver to my wife and work through these challenges with her. As a freelancer, I choose to work with writers, designers and publishers to work through challenges with them. Freelancing is a passion of mine as well. Caregiving and Freelancing are different passions, but both are very heartfelt. In both instances, I have chosen to be a servant. It is my attitude and my heart that determine how good I am in both roles.
In each role, success and satisfaction are in direct relation to the passion of your heart to be a servant. If you can find joy and happiness from serving others, then you can succeed as a freelancer (and as a caregiver). Why do you freelance? Is it only for the money? A passion for games? Or is it more than that? Do you do it out of a heartfelt desire to help others succeed in their endeavors?