She never says "no," and always takes on these tasks, even though they might not be her direct responsibility. I think my mother is under-employed, but she does not see it that way. I think she could become a graphic designer or at least a document specialist, but she is content to remain in her own sphere. I think my mother fears alienation if she changes job responsibilities. She has been at her present company for many years, and has seniority over many other office workers. She would be brand new and probably older than most of her peers if she went into another area of document creation, and I think that scares her. She will not say that to me when we talk, just that she's "content" where she is. I think my mother works too hard, and I wish that she would stop working, but she says we need the money and that she enjoys the day-to-day challenges of work.

I asked her how much longer she wants to work, and she says she's really not sure. My mother is very creative, and she enjoys a lot of hobbies like knitting, gardening, and cooking, and she does not have the time to do these things the way she would like. I wish she could retire, but she says working keeps her "young," and keeps her on her toes. She says that working gives her challenges that she would not get if she didn't work, and it keeps her mind active, too.

I don't think my mother is unhappy in her work, I think she is just...

I think that she could do many other things that were more fulfilling than being a secretary, and still make money. People love her knitting patterns and designs, and I think she could teach people to cook, as well. She has always taught me to think outside the box and follow my dreams, but I'm not sure she has done that in her own life. I think her job is monotonous, and I wish that she had a better sense of her strengths and how she could use them. I think that now, being a secretary is "easy" for her, and she doesn't have to worry about learning new things or change, and I think that's where she is in her career. When she was younger, she had lots of ideas and ways to make things in the offices better, but now, she just bides her time and waits for the weekend. I hope that's not the way that I view work, but I know my mother was active and excited about work when she was younger, and I wonder if as you age, you just get tired of the monotony of work, and it doesn't mean the same thing to you any more. I think work gets boring if you let it, and that is the case in my mother's life. She works because she has to, not because she wants to, and because of that, it is no longer stimulating and rewarding, but something that she must do. I think that my mother has missed opportunities for work that could be more fulfilling for her, because they were not available when she was young, and I think that is sad.