Why I don’t hate being an accountant.

When I was a child I didn’t want to be an accountant.  I wanted to be an architect. 

The problem was, I wasn’t the best student and frankly I was terrible at math.  Yes, terrible at math.  But … I’m an accountant.  Yep.  I joke with people that I don’t love numbers until you put the Dollar sign in front of them. Then I’m interested.

Even at an early age, I was an entrepreneur.   I had my first job at 12 and my summers consisted of picking and selling vegetables at a local farmer stand in Western PA and delivering the Butler Eagle to about 35 families.  I worked because – I wanted money.  I loved money. 

In High school, I had two part-time jobs dishwashing and general contracting / commercial construction laborer.  When I graduated I decided to take a gap year and work for Habitat for Humanity International as an AmeriCrorps member.   I loved construction and after all I did want to be an architect.  Why not build the houses before designing them?  I did residential construction for a year and half and decided I didn’t love building them after all. 

I started off as an Administrative Assistant and worked my way up to an office manager.  Then changed jobs and became and Accounting Assistant and worked my way up to Director of Finance.  I wasn’t the world’s greatest Accountant… but I worked hard, built relationships and put myself through college while working and raising a family.  I was successful – because I was determined.  Did I love what I did… well not really but I was decent at it.  

When people meet me, they are always shocked that I am an accountant as I don’t fit that mold all that well.  I say that I would like to create a club called the Extroverted Accountants – but I would probably be the only member.    I don't hate being an accountant, but I am starting to hate money. 

It’s interesting how life unfolds… many people don’t end up in their dream jobs or even remotely know what those are.  I am starting to think my dream job is retirement, but that’s long ways off.  I joke that I still don’t know what I want to be when I grow up… I just know that we are called to evolve and grow and do whatever it is the Lord puts before you.