Standing on the Shoulders of Giants: What’s Your Cause?
“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”
– Isaac Newton
In Ontario (my home province) it was recently confirmed that daycare costs will be dramatically reduced over the next five years thanks to massive government investment.
As a new mom, this announcement is beautifully timed for me.
Yet I can’t help but think of all the parents who struggled and sacrificed financially and professionally over the past decades to send their children to a safe and caring childcare centre.
And I can’t help but be grateful to all the activists, academics, and decision-makers who spent decades demanding affordable, accessible childcare and better conditions for the people caring for our children.
Those advocates made this moment possible.
Those advocates had a cause and they fought for it. When it seemed impossible, improbable, dispiriting and discouraging, they fought on.
And now, at the right moment and with the right leadership in place, their cause achieved a victory. While much work remains to be done to ensure the vision is executed wisely, this is a huge win.
Because these people had a cause they believed in and acted for, I am benefitting right now. Well into the future, generations of Canadian families will benefit.
Will the people who long advocated for this change benefit? Probably not. Over the decades of their activism, their own children aged out of daycare; they will not be cashing in on the rebates.
They worked on this issue to benefit others. Hence the title of this blog and the accompanying quote from Isaac Newton that articulates an ancient concept about how our accomplishments are possible primarily because of the work, sacrifices and actions of others who preceded us:
“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.”
We benefit from the legacy of knowledge and justice established by previous generations. Good work and good decisions have cumulative impacts well into the future.
Do you feel that your daily work is contributing to the greater good? In small but meaningful ways, do you feel you are championing an important cause? Or caring for people in need? Or advocating for an important change? Or building and teaching knowledge that will help future generations?
If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you could say you are working for a cause, i.e., “a principle or movement to which one is dedicated”, as per The Free Dictionary.
Having an honourable cause engenders meaning in our work and provides motivation. I believe meaning and motivation are two key ingredients for a satisfying professional life. That’s why this website is called The Vocationist – because a vocation is more than a function performed for wages – it is a calling, it is compelling.
Is it a privilege to work in your vocation? Absolutely.
Is a vocation about glamour and grandeur and material splendour and continual fun? Hell no.
A vocation is cuddling a baby who is sad to be separated from her parents for the first time. A vocation is caring for your fellow humans at their most vulnerable. A vocation is ensuring others are fed and nourished.
I am grateful to all the giants who saw the value of those working in the extraordinary vocation of childcare. We stand on their shoulders as we look forward to more equitable and accessible childcare.
Who are you grateful for? Whose legacy is enriching your life every day? The answers to these questions may point you toward a cause, a vocation, that guides your path. And your path may someday pave the way for others to move further and climb higher.
