Advent Blog 2025 — The Job I Forgot I Already Had

I was casually exploring the idea of a part-time job as a time filler the other day. Nothing big—just something to keep me busy, give shape to my days. Thinking out loud, I suggested to my grandson that I could be a school bus driver.

He went quiet.

Then he looked at me, genuinely confused, and said, “You can’t.”

In that instant, a dozen assumptions ran through my mind.

Was I too old?

Did he think it wasn’t a job for women?

But that wasn’t it at all.

With absolute certainty, he explained that I already had a job.

I was his Mimi.

His expression said everything—surprise, disbelief, even a little concern that I would consider taking on something else. As if this role I hold in his life is not only real, but essential. Full-time. Non-negotiable.

And suddenly, something in me softened.

We spend so much of our lives asking What should I do next?

What role should I take on?

What purpose will fill this season?

Yet here was a small voice reminding me that some of our most meaningful work doesn’t come with schedules, paychecks, or titles we put on résumés.

Some roles are lived, not applied for.

Being his Mimi isn’t something I clock in and out of. It’s presence. It’s availability. It’s showing up with patience, laughter, and a steady sense of belonging.

In a season where so many of us feel the urge to stay busy, to prove our usefulness, to fill space—this felt like a gentle interruption.

A reminder.

Not all purpose looks productive.

Not all work looks like work.

And sometimes, the job we’re meant to do is already ours.

What if you already have a job you’ve been underestimating?

Not one you applied for.

Not one that shows up on a résumé.

Not one that earns praise or recognition.

But one that quietly shapes lives—maybe more than you realize.

Who counts on your presence in ways you’ve learned to overlook?

Where are you already indispensable, simply because you show up as yourself?

As we stand at the edge of a new year, it’s tempting to search for something to add—something to become, improve, or prove. But before you rush toward what’s next, pause and notice what’s already yours.

The roles that don’t come with titles.

The moments that don’t announce themselves as meaningful.

The ways you matter without trying.

Maybe purpose isn’t always about staying busy.

Maybe it’s about staying present.

As the year turns and conversations naturally drift toward what’s next, this moment stays with me. Before I look for something to add, I’m pausing to ask what already matters. Who already counts on my presence. What role already gives meaning to my days. Perhaps the new year isn’t asking us to become more—but to recognize what we already are.

Take a moment.

Let it land.

And ask yourself: What job have I already been entrusted with?