What's the point of this work?

The lines were long at the gate.  The US had just assassinated an Iranian general and, we had to go through additional security protocols.

I heard a man excitedly calling out a woman.  "Long time," he said.  "How are you?"

"Doing well," she said and added something in Hindi.

I wanted to turn towards them and suggest that they speak only in English if they wanted me to listen in, because my Hindi is no good.  But, I didn't.  I didn't have to either--the rest of their chat was all in English.

They talked about the places and peoples they visited during their respective vacations in two different parts of India.  And then came the job talk.

"So, who do you work for now?"

"It has been more than four years with Microsoft," she replied.

"How are things going?"

"I have a great team. Pay is great, and the benefits are good."

I thought to myself that it was a strange response.  It was not adding up well.

"Sometimes, I wonder why I am doing all that.  What's the point of this work?"

Aha, that explained the strange response.

I wish people sincerely engaged with such questions.  What's the point of the work that they might be doing?

"So, how do you answer that question?"

I was delighted that the man was a good conversationalist.  He wasn't being the stereotypical male by any means.

"I wish I knew," she said and laughed.

He didn't let her off that easily. "I am sure you have thought about it.  How you deal with that question?"

"Art is my savior."

"You mean like painting and sketching?"

"Yes.  As an undergrad, I had taken an art class.  Now, I am building on that."

People often spin their wheels doing pointless work in order to earn what they consider to be a good salary.  But, those high earnings do not fill the emptiness within.

A long, long time ago, I was convinced that the salary and benefits that engineering promised me would never come anywhere close to being the answers to same question this woman was pondering: What's the point of this work? 

I took a different path that has led me to where I never have to worry about the point of it all.  I lucked out.