Santa Clara University was glad to welcome James Fowler to its campus to speak about vocation. Fowler, from Emory University, attended Boston College, and graduated from Harvard University. His studies are in the fields of Psychology and Religion. His discussion in the Recital Hall explained the meaning of vocation, and then used examples from movies to help explain the four types of lives people lead. He discussed the paradox found in leading a purposeful life, and advised us on how to listen for our calling. An interesting and thought-provoking lecture, it encouraged me to examine my own life and determine whether I was on the right track to finding my true calling.
Fowler explained vocation to be the idea of calling, to find the purpose of one's life that matches the purpose of God's will. It is finding purpose for one's life that uses the individual's best gifts that serves his/her truest values, and brings a sense of worth and worthiness. It is simple to say that we should all strive to live purposeful lives. However, how is this accomplished? As James Fowler asked, "How do we discern what our gifts are?- The root of vocation is Latin, to come. It means the work you are called for, by God. The problem is to find that voice, to hear that voice, to distinguish it from that of ego and society. The challenge of vocation is to answer two simple questions: A) what do you want? And, B) what does society need and want? Where these two questions intersect is where you find vocation. A person cannot be living a purposeful life if either requirement is not fulfilled; your calling is both work that you enjoy and work that helps society. "The place God calls you to be is where your deep gladness and world's deep hunger meet."" .
People generally live one of four types of lives. The anomic life involves a person who "drifts and drafts, gazes and grazes."" S/he is not invested in his/her life.