More often than not, we need to find a job to sustain ourselves and our families the moment we leave school. These jobs might not be the best or the one we dreamed to have, but with the changing times and the unpredictability of the economy we take what we can get. Whether it’s in the office and you stay at your comfortable cubicle while drinking your fancy coffee and chatting with equally bored colleague, or dishing out the cement under the heat of the sun for the new building, it is still considered work.  As the poet Max Erhmann once said in his poem Desiderata: “Keep interested in your own career, however humble.”

Work is life for most of us, and the fast pace of everyday life does not help that. Usually during work if are bored, we find ways to stay interested in whatever we are doing. We usually entertain some fantasies even while working, blanking out to think of better places we could be while staying where we are right now. It is normal; people want more out of life, but this is what we have now. We must make the most of it in order for us to be happy.

As we work, we earn our wages. These wages will be used to buy the things we want. Most of the time, we think that we deserve to spend all of it and we do. It is the fruit of our hard work and we deserve the right to spend a little. However, our priorities kick in and we need think more than ourselves. Our stomach is already rumbling for food. The bills are waiting to be paid. Our families patiently waiting for our return to help them have what we need. These things will always come first before our indulgence.

There is nothing wrong in indulging a little, and it is good to enjoy sometimes. Life is short as the old adage goes, and our life cannot just be composed of work, work and more work. The cake that was waiting for you at the cafe is now at your reach. The dress that you were eyeing for a long time is now on sale. That car you were wishing for all these years? It can be yours already. That dream vacation somewhere in the tropics where you can escape all the dreary storms of snow? You will be there soon with your family. Even just a simple dinner at that place you thought you could never afford will become a norm and you can eat there anytime you want. Leisure time is very important for us adults because it is the only time we can unwind. We can use the money that we worked hard for and just be free to do whatever we want in the constrictions of our budget. As human beings, we seek pleasure for the sake of it, no matter where it comes from. As long as the things you enjoy are legal, there is nothing wrong with it.

However, we need to remember the things that matter the most.

Our family can be anyone. In the past, a family is composed of your father, your mother, and your siblings and everyone you are related to in any degree. That is it. No matter where the blood flows or where you come from, as long as you are related then you are a part of the family. Nowadays, the legal definition of family never changed. On the other hand, the perspective of the human society had changed drastically. We now consider anyone who is very close to our hearts as family. It can be anyone or even a pet can be considered your family. This definition has been broadened due to the fact that the definition of the “traditional family” had changed. It was no longer just your father, mother and siblings. Blood relations are not the end all, be all of family anymore. It is composed of invisible bonds that tie us together in harmony.

That being said we need to protect them. “From what?” you may ask.

The world is a dangerous place. This has been taught to us even when we were children. Yes, it is good to believe that every single human being in this world is innately a good person. He or she can never do any wrong and only does what is good for his or her fellow human beings. The world is full of love and happiness and we should paint our world in every color. The truth is, however, is far sadder than that. Any unfortunate happening can happen to anyone, whether you consider them as good or terrible persons. This is not some kind of drama or epic that the good triumphs and the evil cower to dust. We are the main characters in our story but it does not mean our survival. The plot of our story is continuing even whatever happens to us. The world will continue revolving and only our family will remember us last.

This is why we need to protect ourselves, too. There are many people counting on us and many more will do so. They may never be our responsibility before, but now it is given to us. The more we try to protect ourselves, the more our families will also be protected. So if anything happens to us, they are also going to be affected tremendously. This is even truer when we are at work, and it entails a great risk. If anything happens to us, what is going to happen to them? Thankfully, the government has designed a program to help anyone who was affected by their working conditions. However, we also need legal assistance in order for these to be processed smoothly. Huratwork.com is one the organizations in New York which help people whose disabilities were from work to help them recover these benefits. If you are from New York and you need their help, you can visit them on their site.