It is pretty much accepted these days that the reason for anyone going to college and earning a degree is so that effort may be translated into the ability to earn a larger salary in a career, not a job, which will also provide emotional and professional satisfaction for the rest of one’s life.  The sad truth is, this attitude is" wrong" on a number of counts.  It is also pretty much accepted these days that anything which doesn’t hurt anyone else is just fine to do, and that as long as you and anyone else consent to do it, whatever it is, that’s just fine, too.  The sad truth about THAT way of thinking is that it is simply "wrong," too.  The problem with both these ways of thinking about one’s life and one’s future is that there is no provision made for what might be called the “purpose of life”, no attempt in all of it to explore the vocational dimension of Man, his responsibility to himself and the rest of the world and his eventual end and final destination.  Whether one intends to be a carpenter or a cellist, there must be preparation for the endeavor. 

One’s vocation is not co-equal with one’s job or even one’s profession.   It is a mistake to believe that.  The task ahead of a young person, and those who mentor and shepherd young people, is to discern, or to help in the discernment of, a vocation, a rule of life.  When one begins to think about where to “fit in” to this world, certain things should be included in the mix.  Questions to be considered include questions of spirituality, holiness, the place of work, the amount of play and relaxation, the role and needs of others.  The necessity to understand such things and also such concepts as theology, tradition and traditional practices and the psycho-spiritual "balance" a simple life brings applies whether one intends to become a working professional, a vowed religious, a spouse and parent, or a blue-collar worker.  It is practically axiomatic that, given society today, young people will be exposed to more exceedingly radical lifestyles and attitudes than have been typical for thousands of years.  An understanding of the theology of the body, the value of repentance, and the importance of forgiveness for one’s spiritual and psychological health are critical to such vocational thinking.  So too are the basic Christian and Catholic teachings from the gospel and how these apply to whatever one’s state is to be in life.  Even such things as sexual ethics, natural law and the fruits of work and healthy relationships are necessary topics for study and reflection though they are not thought of as such in today’s culture.  Whatever one thinks of from the hopeful vantage point of youth as a promising way to spend one’s life, it will be even more "promising" when placed in the proper context of reflection upon one’s spirituality, desire for holines, and the relation of one’s companions, one's work, and one's leisure to enduring Christian and Catholic principles.

At The Christian Book Corner (t-CBC.com) we are pleased to be able to provide you with a wide variety of materials to assist and accompany you and other discerning young people on this journey into your very promising future.  Our books, videos and cds have been especially chosen and reviewed for their fitness as guides and resources along your way.  Always available at discounted prices, you will find our products valuable aids to forming the proper attitudes toward life's true rewards, thus making the journey to our true home more pleasant and ultimately more joy filled.