Future Photographer: Experiencing Work as Play
When my son Sam was about five – oh, so many years ago – he and his best friend Alex had a conversation in the sandbox about the many kinds of work people do to make a living. As I pretended not to listen and strained to hear, they listed all the jobs they could think of and the specific work each job required: teachers, doormen, pediatricians, taxi drivers (these were city kids) the green grocer, our neighborhood barber… their descriptions were straightforward and accurate. When they ventured into unfamiliar territory such as street-sweepers, the mayor (Ed Koch reached everyone!) deep sea divers and astronauts, the job descriptions became expansive and seriously demanding. I could see each of these imaginative little guys visualizing what they might be when they grew up. The possibilities were limitless.
When Alex’s mom came to pick him up I re-capped my favorite quote of the afternoon for her, regarding our sons’ versions of our work:
Alex: My Mommy’s a writer. She writes.
Sam: My Mommy’s an actress. She auditions.
Later that night when Sam and I reflected back on the sandbox conversation, he asked “Mom, when you go to work, you do a play, right?” Yes, I told him. There was a long pause as he thought this through. And finally he said: ”That’s what I want to do, Mom. When I grow up, I want my work to be play.
Well, here it is decades later, and when Sam talks about his work – he is now a professional photographer – it is inspiring to hear how much it sounds like play.
It’s no secret that I take great pride in the theatrical intelligence of my son. As he grew, he discovered the bits and pieces of work that he truly loved, and his father and I managed to stay out of his way. And when Sam talks about his work these days, you’d think he was back in the sandbox. He positively glows.
Tags: Joy in the Work, The Fun Part of Being Smart, Theatrical Intelligence
My name is Ann Sachs, and I'm developing a process I call Theatrical Intelligence®. This is my Beta-Blog, where I post ideas and bits of writing as I build the idea into a book and a business.
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