Bloom where you are planted

If ever I stumbled across an example of 'bloom where you are planted' it is a young man named Seth who drives a shuttle bus for Masterpark Lot B at SeaTac airport near Seattle.

Mom and I were exhausted after a short weekend of planning & planting flower pots and beds for friends in California. After an uneventful return flight we simply wanted to get home. But first we had to take a shuttle from the airport to our parked car.

My experience with shuttle bus drivers is that they are polite yet impersonal. They willingly help with luggage and quickly pocket their tip. Seth, however, is an exception. He met us at the curb with a huge smile, apologized for nearly driving right by us and quickly loaded our suitcases on board. Once I became situated, I immediately noticed the music, Sarah McLachlan's 'In the Arms of an Angel' playing softly. Then I noticed the music was coming from his ipod, magically connected to the bus' radio/cd player. Seth, grinning broadly, asked his passengers if we liked the music. He told us he has created 16 playlists of music and has dubbed May as 'women musician' month!

He and I chatted all the way to the parking lot where he kindly announced our arrival, ask us all to step off the bus and proceeded to hand us our luggage. Leaving Mom to tip him, I walked inside to pay our bill. Mom related later how Seth carried luggage to a young family's car assisting the mom and dad who had their hands full with strollers and young children - truly going beyond his call of duty. Every act of service was done with a huge, friendly smile and boundless enthusiasm.

I point out this encounter because coincidentally I read a magazine article on the plane that explained how people who are able to combine work with their passion are so content that they rarely work a 40 hour week. By not working a 40 hour week, they may make less money than a fellow employee who is working merely to pay the bills. But because working their passion fulfills them, they are content with less and often live simple lives.

One could assume that Seth, who appears to be no older than 30, is merely marking time. Perhaps he was 'down-sized' out of a corporate job recently and driving a shuttle bus is the only work he can find. Or, could it be his passion for others has become his 'calling' and he is perfectly happy in his current position?

If I was a headhunter and stumbled across Seth, I'd say I found the mother lode.....