Kristin Hardwick
It felt good to fit my spirituality into my schedule, and my corporate salary provided me a very comfortable life...
4 · SPRING 2018
THE CENTER OF GRAVITY FINDING A GOD-CENTERED LIFE IN THE MIDST OF CHANGE
Three women share their experiences of radical change and spiritual growth— carefully planned, unforeseen, and anywhere in betwee
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Working in national hotel sales for a popular destination, I spent a great deal of my time traveling and entertaining clients. My twenty-eight year career gave me the opportunity to enjoy the best food and beverage in the world, on top of luxury accommodations and transportation. Although it was glamorous in some ways, mine was a hectic life; because of that, I always made a conscious effort to attend church and to offer a portion of my spare time to one or more of the various ministries of my church. It felt good to fit my spirituality into my schedule, and my corporate salary provided me a very comfortable life.
When I thought about“ retiring” from hotel sales, I somehow knew that I wanted to be an administrator in a local Episcopal church. I realized that my financial situation would change with my departure from the corporate world. Three and half years ago, I became the Executive Assistant to the Rector of an Episcopal church here in Manhattan. The first two years were difficult— for example, I was suddenly forced to decide between taking the bus to work or walking, to save the $ 5.50 round-trip fare so that I could buy food for the day. But financially, that was about as bad as it felt— which wasn’ t too bad at all.
Now, instead of working a few hours a month in the back of a soup kitchen, I witness the way a daily lunch bag will help satisfy the hunger of a neighbor. Rather than cleaning an empty room for a 12-Step meeting, I assist a despondent neighbor trying to locate a meeting for themselves or their loved one. Or, I witness how a MetroCard can help that desperate unemployed neighbor get to a job interview. Or how a roll of coins and a container of laundry detergent can get that underemployed neighbor clean work clothes.