Becoming A Photographer…Part 1
Pictured above: Orpheum Theater, Marshalltown, Iowa 2022…One of my jobs while still in high school.
35...that is how many jobs I have had over the course of my 50-some years. Given I did not begin my gypsy-like work adventures until I was 14 years old, that’s almost a new job every year, for 30 years.
For the longest time I found my work history embarrassing. It still is not something I would say I’m proud of but rather than beat myself up over a fact I cannot change, I am working to focus on the positive realities of this not-so-charming truth.
First, I want to clear up one matter. While several barely lasted past filing the paperwork, there were some work experiences that lasted far longer than a year. A couple were seasonal, and, on occasion, I did hold more than one job at a time. I can also count about five that ended due to circumstances outside my control. And…as far as I can tell, I’ve always been a decent employee. I almost always gave notice. I’ve never been fired, and I’ve only received one official write up.
I have been a waitress, nurses aid, secretary, bean walker, event planner, gift wrapper. I’ve worked in insurance, sales, steel trading, hospitality, retail, and publishing. So, what good can possibly come of such a seemingly fickle career pattern? For starters, relationships, creativity, adaptability, appreciation, knowledge, and experience, to name a few. That is not to say that to acquire those gifts you must become a job-hoping fool. I’m simply saying, that is the journey I took, and if I’m going to cease in allowing my past to derail me, understanding the good I have procured along the way, helps.
Looking over my list of employers, I wish I could say that I have no regrets. That would be a lie. I have made mistakes and I’ve burned my share of bridges. I have been unkind and held grudges. Yet those hard moments taught me the most valuable lessons.
This list is humbling, and I think it’s something I will keep and continue to reference over the years as a reminder of what I’ve learned and how far I’ve come. Glancing over it now, however, there is one bright note that I want to share. Nearly every single entry recalls a person, or people, that have had an impact in making me the person I am. For that I am exceedingly grateful.
Pictured above: Trail at Purple Martin Lake Water Resource Area, January 2023
I know my job history, my path to where I am today is not the norm. I do not encourage anyone to travel the road I did. For me, though, every single experience taught me a skill or something about myself. Could I have found a less complicated route? Possibly. Looking back though, I do not see a single experience, friendship, or lesson I would want to discard.
Next time I look forward to sharing a little bit more about how photography found me.
It is my hope that through this story I can bring light to the importance of embracing our unique journey. Everyone takes a different path and we all have experiences that, for one reason or another, we may want to hide or forget about. I believe when we shed a light on those buried parts and look for the good, we often find unexpected treasures.
