Today is my birthday, and because of that birthday, for the first time in almost a half-century I am now unemployed. Sleepless last night, I pondered this new reality. My mind gravitated to an idea about which I have often taught, and which I have given no small amount of time contemplating. I call this idea, The Higher Order.

Human societies tend to order themselves according to an invisible framework. There are variations, of course, but regardless of the time in history or the place on earth, we humans tend to follow an order of things. A vital part of this order, and what I want to focus on here, is work, or better put, the productive things we put our hands and minds to during our short existence.

I am convinced that we are generally happier if we are producing, because to be productive is to be closer to meshing with the higher order of things. And from this we get an inner satisfaction that we all too often take for granted. The bottom line is, to work is a good thing.

There are those who resent this reality. I’m reminded of the lyrics from The Verve’s song, Bitter Sweet Symphony: “Try to make ends meet, you’re a slave to money then you die“. But then there are those who embrace the idea of a lifetime of being productive. The former are generally less happy, and the latter more happy. The former grind against the higher order, and the latter synchronize with it.

In the end, I believe that no matter what disposition and attitude we have toward being a productive member of society, it is ultimately a matter of choice. Unfortunately, this choice is seldom made consciously, although it can be, and it ought to be. But in order to make it, living a thoughtful and intentional life is required.

As for myself, to receive anything while making no contribution would be the death of me. Sure, no one enjoys every day at work. There are hard days. I get it. But I would suggest that there are hard days when we have no obligations too- only the hard days are harder inwardly when we are serving no higher purpose than ourselves.

I am not sure what I will be doing now, but I do know it will involve work, obligations, production, and an addition of value to the world around me. It is the better way.