Heeeey, Must (Not) Be the Moneeeey

So I decided to get in a brief post, if for no other reason than the fact I've been completely negligent with posting the past week and change. Let me tell you one reason why...

I work during the summer with special needs kids. It's the greatest job I've ever had and ever will have in all likelihood. This summer I took on a one-on-one role in a classroom to make some money in between spring semester and the start of the Camp I work at every year. I found out quickly it's the exact opposite of my camp job. It's exhausting and frustrating to the Nth degree (whatever the heck that means, I don't know but I hear it sometimes) and the pay makes self-sustainability a distant dream. Still, if you're in this field, you don't do it for the money, you do it because you're making a difference in the lives of disadvantaged kids. The problem at this particular job is that their are zero fruits of labor with my kid. Maybe there will be at some point in the next 4 weeks, but the mere hope of that is not enough to keep me from finding the nearest exit and getting another temp position.

Since it's clearly not about the money, and in this situation it's not even about reward that comes within the work itself, then what is it? I think I may have found that answer today.

The staff at this unorganized mess of an organization is five-star. They're incredible. While I might be able to be making a couple bucks more elsewhere, a few of these people would make 10 bucks per hour more elsewhere. Now that's commitment, especially given some of the things they have to deal with at this place. And these staff have treated me like I saved their dog from a burning building, when really I just made their lives a bit easier by playing shadow to the most difficult child of the class. The crowning moment of their appreciation of my work happened as I was leaving today, the teacher, who bears a striking resemblance (looks and general persona) to many-a-diner waitress I've had in the past, had an eye-opening goodbye exchange with me. "Alright Hun," she said sincerely. "You did a great job today, don't know what we'd do without ya. Now go home and get some sleep. Lord knows we need you around, and at full-strength for tomorrow."

Now am I still on the fence about enduring the first half of summer at this place? Sure. But if it weren't for feeling like I was taking a load off of some other peoples' backs, I'd be a 100% goner. Now, I'm not writing this to build myself up, because I've been whining and complaining about my situation all week. I've been a huge baby about things for many different reasons. Still, the point remains, that you have to find some drive at your place of employment, and in most jobs these days, motivation is not synonymous with dollar signs.