I'm starting to love the Daryn Kagan site for it's upbeat collection of stories. I try to spread the source of news around, but she seems to have a great eye for good stories. This one isn't any different.
Hartford's Officer Don Healey has been on the job for 49 years. He started in 1957. He could have retired at 20 years, but he didn't want to sit around and watch TV. He likes being a police officer, and people like him.
So often we talk about doing what you love for work. And when we talk about all of the possibilities, sometimes people choose what they think they "should" do for a living. And when we talk about The Secret, it is hard for some to believe that not everyone wants to be powerful and have a lot of money and somehow become famous. This story is one example that not everyone wants to be the same thing. Not everyone aspires to be beautiful or rich or powerful. Don Healey has been happy being a police officer. Now maybe he wanted to be the Chief of Police at some time, but I doubt it. He is doing what he loves, and it shows.
His badge number is #1.
Don Healey is a great reminder for me to follow my heart, and not do what others think I should do. If I stay in that job I don't like, what I'm really doing is taking away the opportunity for the perfect person to take their perfect job -- the one I hate. We are all here for our own unique adventure, and thank goodness. There are many jobs I wouldn't be very good at.
PS. I love being an elementary school principal.
