I wear many hats lest raindrops fall on my head
Many years ago, during the last century, when I was a child going to school, our teachers used to ask us what we would like to be when we grew up. Most of the students in my class would blurt out “Doctor”, “Engineer” , “Lawyer” in an attempt to impress our teachers regarding their supposed ambition and to show their knowledge about many professions that are out there… which appeared as if it is kept on a super market shelf, just waiting to be picked. I was a student who was quietly pondering about my future and asking myself the question, “Now what exactly do I want to be, and what can I be when I grow up?” None of the teachers to my recollection gave us career guidance or counseling of any sort. They responded with either a “Good” or a “Great” just to encourage us but never showed us how to find our life’s purpose. No one spoke of multiple intelligence theory… well this was in 1970’s but yet surely someone should have told us that the chances of becoming a medical doctor is kind of bleak (currently in Sri Lanka there is only one Doctor for 1187 persons)
50 years later I realize that I am still growing, I have many roles to play and I relate to different groups of people at the same time. I am a husband, a father, a son, a brother etc.,.. among many other things. Many of us who are in the informal sector play many roles;- service provider, supplier, consultant etc., etc. But I guess I lead parallel lives and I wear many hats. I am a Christian and a Father and have a role to play in bringing up my children. I am responsible to play a part in my community. I do not get paid for this type of work I do, and I am in the same boat as my wife who does not get paid for being a “home maker”. Today I am involved with civil society work, I am a researcher, a marketing communications and public relations strategist, internal communications expert, creative writer… and the list is rather long for a visiting card isn’t it? Jack of all trades and mater of none? Not quite. If I could be a husband, a father, a son, a brother etc.,.. among many other things why can’t I do many things to make a living? Does it make sense?
I think it does.
So when someone asks me what I do for a living I say I wear many hats. However I do not wear more than one hat at any given time. It keeps me fulfilled in life and happy. And most of all I am prepared for a rainy day… because I have many hats