When I was pregnant, my husband and I wanted to give birth and welcome our baby in our home. We looked in Springfield – and then in the adjacent towns in the lower valley – for a homebirth midwife to assist us. There wasn’t one. We needed to search for that service in the upper valley and travel to all our appointments. It was through this experience that I considered that maybe I, after study and clinical training, could become a homebirth midwife and provide that service to my community. And, joyfully, that is what I have done.
In traditional communities, what each person did as work or as a profession was determined by the needs of the community, not by their personal desires. Certainly, the special gifts of a particular child would likely be identified and considered and would guide elders to steer that individual toward work suitable for them. Often, the family that the child came from would determine his or her trade: blacksmiths, musicians or healers would pass down those skills, and that role, to their children. In either case, the needs of the community would prevail. For each person, the starting point was not, “what should I do with my life?” but rather “what does my community need?”
I have a client in West Springfield who has four beautiful children, three of whom were born at home. She is an immigrant and is very integrated with the culture of her homeland, even after living here for most of her life. As a parent, she asks “how shall I guide my children to serve our community here in the Springfield area?” She told me that she thought it would be helpful to have a Slavic lawyer who could translate the laws of this country for newcomers in their native language – a Slavic plumber, electrician, pediatrician. I suggested to her, of course, “you need a midwife who speaks Russian!”
I have three teenagers right now, all navigating a world that seems to have endless options for careers. And yet, from their childhood, we have tried to guide them not toward what they wanted to do per se, but what they could do to fulfill a need in their community that would also fit in with their strengths and aptitudes. What does Springfield need its young people to do to revitalize their community? It depends on your idea of what makes a vibrant and joyous and self-sufficient community, of course.
When we start with this question to determine what work we do, suddenly an overwhelming, sometimes paralyzing, list of not-so-necessary-and-maybe-destructive-to-our-community occupations can be nicely trimmed down to a manageable list of useful and beautiful job options. It can make the discernment simpler! And, I believe, with this approach, each individual becomes infused with authentic purpose beyond their own personal fulfillment or preference, looking forward to a lifetime of playing a critical role in the wellness of their community. ■