​“And the day came when the risk
to remain tight in a bud was more 
painful than the risk it took 
to blossom”. (Anaïs Nin)

Introduction           
             Work means different things to different people. For some people work is simply a way to earn money to survive. For others, like Sue McKay, work is what you are passionate about, what you dedicate your time and energy to, and what you do in order to live a meaningful authentic existence.  Understanding the influences of a person’s life-work choices is not so simple since there are many factors that influence and determine the type of work an individual does and how they incorporate work into their daily life. This paper will briefly examine the life-work story of Sue McKay through two theoretical lenses. First, a developmental perspective later followed by an existential perspective. It is necessary to state that it is not my intention to capture the vastness and breadth of Sue’s extraordinary life-work story, but rather to provide my interpretation and a short glimpse into her life-work history.    
The Person and the Career
          It is important to state at the beginning that an individual cannot be separated from their work or career. Truly, especially in Sue’s life-work story, it is difficult if not impossible to separate the person from the work and to separate the work from the person. Sue’s sexual orientation and experiences with being a sexual minority has played a significant role in both her personal and professional life and has contributed to her life of work extending far beyond just doing a job. Petersen & Gonzalez (2005) state “work role and sexual orientation cannot be completely detached from each other” (p187) and “for all the eagerness of gay, lesbian, and bisexual employees to detach sexuality from work, the task becomes difficult because work is largely a social activity and personal and professional roles become as firmly intertwined as they do for heterosexual people” (p 190). With this in mind, Sue’s life-work and work-work are deeply connected and forged together with a sense of meaning, intention and purpose.     
Developmental Perspective           
               Developmental perspectives on vocational/career related choices “presume that one’s self-concept – how an individual sees herself or himself – changes over time as a consequence of age and life experience” (Petersen & Gonzalez, 2005, p 168). Aspects that make up one’s self-concept include abilities, traits, values, self-esteem and self-efficacy (Giannantonio & Hurley-Hanson, 2006). With Donald Super’s Theory of Career Development the idea of self-concept is central and assumes that individuals attempt to coalesce their self-concept with career choices (Giannantonio & Hurley-Hanson, 2006). In Sue’s case, her self-concept has changed and evolved over the years with each work-related, academic, and personal choice and accomplishment. For instance, as she changed teaching positions from one school to another it became easier for her to be open and “out” about who she was.
            Developmental perspectives also presume that “the role of work in people’s lives begins in childhood as a reflection of expectations placed on children by adults who regularly interact with them” (Petersen & Gonzalez, 2005, p 168). Aside from the huge impact that culture and society has on a person’s view toward work, one of the most important and influential contributors to how a person perceives work stems from parents and their views and attitudes toward work. As a child Sue was exposed to and learned her parents’ work attitudes and behaviors and although family influence can be subtle, “many young people mimic the behaviours and attitudes toward work that they see in the adults around them” (Petersen & Gonzalez, 2005, p 153). Having a mother with the nurturing qualities necessary for a neo-natal nurse and a father who supports and advocates for at-risk youth, it is no surprise that Sue has dedicated her life-work to helping, educating, and empowering people by boldly speaking up about social issues such as gay rights, inclusion and social justice. At any rate, another significant adult figure and powerful role model for Sue was the schoolteacher whose teaching style and demeanour inspired her to become a teacher.
         As with most human behavior, there are multiple contributing factors and layers involved that influence and explain why people do what they do. Developing a work identity, like a personal identity, is a life-long process that is continuously changing and evolving (Petersen & Gonzalez, 2005). It may be the case that a person’s work identity begins to develop before they enter the work force. In Sue’s case, her work identity began to develop at a young age when she began ‘working’ at home helping her parents with siblings and as a camp counsellor at age fifteen. Throughout the span of Sue’s development there are patterns of resilience, determination and resourcefulness in her life and work-related choices. During her development and life-span stages she has remained undefeated by challenges, obstacles and adversity and continues to dedicate her life-work to informing and empowering people for the betterment of society. 
Existential Theory           
          Existential theory is primarily concerned with meaning or finding meaning and “suggests that the search for meaning is basic to our lives and that each individual has to find his or her own meaning. Vocational choice can provide a powerful sense of meaning and purpose in our lives and aid in the search for an authentic self” (Petersen & Gonzalez, 2005, p 164). Furthermore, Maglio, Butterfield & Borgen (2005) claims, “career is a project of one’s adult productive life in which the struggle for authenticity is most acute” (p 79). Below I will discuss the four-stage career-decision making model proposed by Cohen (2003) in reference to the life-work of Sue McKay.
            The first stage in Cohen’s model involves the awareness of the responsibility and freedom that is associated with making career related decisions and choices (Cohen, 2003). “This freedom often produces anxiety, but responsibility emphasizes our accountability for ourselves, our future” (Petersen & Gonzalez, 2005, p 164). From a young age, it is apparent that Sue already had a foundation of values and ideas of what constituted important work for her and her job as a camp counsellor at age fifteen demonstrates her early sense of responsibility and accountability to herself and others. Furthermore, this sense of responsibility and accountability has continued throughout her personal and professional life.
               The next stage in Cohen’s model is the evaluation stage where an individual evaluates their career choices in terms of how it may be contributing meaning and to an authentic existence (Cohen, 2003). Living an authentic existence means living a life where you feel free to be who you are and live true to yourself. For a gay, lesbian, or bisexual person an important part of living an authentic existence is not living in secrecy or “in the closet” about their sexual orientation. However, as Sue experienced with her parents and places of employment, “coming out” and being your authentic self may result in unwanted consequences and negative outcomes. Sexual orientation has an impact on career and life planning and, unfortunately homophobic attitudes have been identified as being “rampant in the workplace” (Petersen & Gonzalez, 2005, p110).  Petersen & Gonzalez (2005) state “lesbians have two specific work-related concerns: disclosing sexual orientation to others and experiencing discrimination based on sexual orientation. Workplace discrimination – be it sanctioned or illicit – based on sexual orientation is a very real challenge for lesbian’s career development and satisfaction” (, p 155).
              In addition to living authentically, Sue’s work choices have continually reflected her beliefs about what makes work meaningful and what is meaningful work: helping people to live a better (empowered) life through education.  In deciding whether to pursue a career in journalism or teaching, Sue weighed teaching as more effective way of reaching people thus contributing to her sense of doing meaningful work and living authentically. In my opinion, meaningful work to Sue might include educating and informing individuals for the betterment of themselves and society as a whole. Since an early age, which may reflect the learned parental beliefs and attitudes about work, Sue has made work choices that speak volumes about what she values and what is meaningful to her personally: This is evident not only in her decision to be a teacher or educator, but also to work as a camp counsellor and at a group home for at-risk youth. 
             At any rate, Cohen’s third stage is the action stage where an individual must choose a job based upon their authentic goals and desires rather than from a place of impulsitivity or compulsitivity (Cohen, 2003). It seems evident that it is important and meaningful for Sue to contribute to the betterment of individuals and society through being an educator. She not only fulfills these personal authentic goals in the classroom and in a full-length novel about the experiences of lesbian educators but also in the courtroom when she challenged provincial adoption laws for same-sex couples.  
         Finally, the last stage of Cohen’s model is where an individual re-evaluates their vocational decisions and choices to “determine if they provide both personal meaning and opportunities for authentic existence” (Cohen, 2003, p 197).  In existential theory, work or vocation is a means of expressing one’s authentic self and living an authentic existence (Maglio, Butterfield & Borgen, 2005). Above all, in her life and work Sue is an educator and it is in being an educator that she finds meaning and purpose in her life and work and is able to live authentically. In addition, being able to “make sense” and make meaning of her life-work experiences Sue has attained what has been called “psychological success” by “achieving goals that are personally meaningful, rather than those set by parents, peers, an organization, or society” (Mirvis & Hall, 1996, p 251 as cited in Lips-Wiersma, 2001, p 499).
Conclusion                   
              In this paper I have offered a brief look at Sue McKay’s life-work history through two different theoretical lenses. I choose to include the quote by Anaïs Nin at the beginning of this paper since I believe that it accurately reflects a momentous point in Sue’s life and work. In my opinion, it was a crucial moment when Sue took the brave risk with her parents and “blossomed”, only to be left invalidated and emotionally devastated. Further, it was this life-changing day and this painful experience that highly influenced the direction and motivation of Sue’s life-work and  “calling”- being drawn toward a career that “an individual sees as meaningful and that promotes the greater good in some way” (Duffy & Sedlacek, 2007, p 591). “Personal meaning can transform external instability and uncertainty into internal focus and determination” (Maglio, Butterfield & Borgen, 2005, p 80). Personal and work-related past experiences with heterosexism, discrimination and rejection have given Sue the motivation, focus, determination and courage to pursue and choose a career where she could live an authentic life and find meaning by challenging the status quo and pushing the envelope in order to inform and educate people about important social justice and equity issues. 

The following is a paper I wrote during my Masters degree at Acadia University, 2010.

Introduction and General Information 
            This paper will describe the life-work of Susan (Sue) McKay. It is not intended to embrace or represent the entirety of her life-work, but rather to provide an outline of her family and educational background, significant people and events, and paid work experience to date.
            Sue is currently a part-time student at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia where she is completing her third Masters level degree. Sue is an educator both in and out of the classroom. She continues to work part-time as a literacy coach and hopes to attain a guidance counsellor position in the future. She lives with her long-time life partner and their two children. A few of Sue’s strengths include being resourceful, bold, brave, courageous, daring, challenging, resilient, confident, outspoken, determined, focused, strong-willed, in addition to being a role-model and mentor. 
Family Background           
       Sue was born and raised by both of her “hippyish” parents. She describes herself as fortunate to have been raised in a family environment where social justice and equity issues were openly discussed. Sue’s mother worked full-time as a nurse in a neo-natal unit at a local hospital. When Sue was an adolescent, she gained a little sister after her mother adopted an extremely sick infant that had been abandoned by her birthparents at the hospital where she worked.
            Sue’s father worked as a teacher; however, he was a school principal during most of her life. Sue remembers her father bringing troubled or at-risk students to their home as a safe place and she was delighted when she had an “older sister” for two years.           
Education BackgroundAfter graduating from high school, Sue was unsure of whether to pursue a degree in journalism or education. Sue had been strongly influenced by an English teacher who served as a powerful role model and inspired her to also become an English teacher. She enrolled in the one-year foundational program at Kings Tec, Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She ultimately decided to pursue a career in education and completed a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in English Literature at Dalhousie University. She later went on to complete a Bachelor of Education at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
            Although being discouraged to do so because of lack of relevant work experience, Sue began working part-time on a Masters of Education Degree in Curriculum Studies immediately after completion of her Bachelor of Education. After completing this Masters degree and working for a few years Sue completed a second Masters degree in Administration – Educational Leadership in Social Justice at Mount Saint Vincent University in Bedford, Nova Scotia.
            Sue is currently working on her third Masters degree in Counselling at Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.         
Significant People           
               Aside from the significance and influence of her family and her life-long partner of twenty-five years, Sue has had many influential and significant people in her life, especially strong positive women who served as fundamental role models and mentors. One of her most significant role models and mentors would be a female high-school English teacher. Sue admired this teacher’s teaching style and demeanor and describes her as a strong powerful woman into social justice and fairness issues. It was this teacher who inspired Sue to pursue a career in teaching English. In an amazing series of events, Sue would be reunited with this influential teacher many years later during a pre-arranged practicum placement while working on her Bachelor of Education degree. Similar in character and being like-minded this would be the start of a working relationship that would span many years and institutions. It was here that Sue felt supported in “pushing the envelope” and bringing diversity, social equity and justice issues into the classroom.      
            Another important, influential and supportive person in Sue’s life was a “mother figure” who took her in to live with her while she was a student at Dalhousie University.
Significant Life Events           
                Sue has had many life events that have been significant in positive and negative ways. One of the most significant and devastating life events for Sue as being rejected by her parents when she “came out” at age fifteen and disclosed that she was a lesbian. Sue did not receive the reaction, support or validation she was hoping for or needing from her parents that day so she packed her belongings and moved out. She had little contact with her parents during the next year, however over the years the relationship has been reestablished and continues to grow.
            Another negative experience for Sue was not being called back to the summer camp the year after everyone learned she was gay. After working as a camp counsellor for five consecutive summers, Sue recalls not being called back as very devastating for her.
            In 1993 Sue began going through the process of trying to get pregnant at a fertility clinic. This was a difficult time for Sue and her partner since the fertility clinic was funded by the Salvation Army, who will only provide support to heterosexual, not homosexual, couples wanting to have children. After struggling through hoops at the fertility clinic, in 1994 Sue gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. “Baby girl” was born premature and spent most of her first year of life in the hospital. As a result Sue could not work at a full-time job and spent most of an entire year at the hospital by her baby’s side. 
                 In 1999 Sue gave birth to her second child, a baby boy. During this time Sue and her partner petitioned the court for same-sex couples to be able to adopt the children. After being denied permission to legally adopt the children on the grounds that a child cannot have two mothers at the same time, Sue and her partner hired a lawyer. With the help and support of family, friends and volunteers enough funds were raised to cover their legal expenses (approximately $10 000). In May 2000 the judge ruled in their favor and the adoption legislation changed in Nova Scotia to allow same-sex couples to jointly adopt.
               A significant and rewarding experience for Sue was during her second Masters degree where she wrote a thesis in the form of a full-length fictional novel. She interviewed lesbian principles and educators about their experiences and complied the data into an innovative novel that won the Governor General Metal from Mount Saint Vincent University (2004), as well as awards from the Canadian Association of Teacher Educators and the Canadian Association for the Study of Women in Education. In 2004 Sue received funding to go to the Canadian Society for the Study of Education Conference where she presented her novel thesis.  
Paid Work Experience           
          Sue’s first paid work was when she was fifteen years old as a camp counsellor at a summer camp. She remained a Camp Counsellor until the age of eighteen when she was designated camp director.
            While attending Dalhousie University Sue worked as a bus-person and dishwasher to support herself. Living expenses were relatively low since she was living with a supportive “mother figure” that she had met at a woman’s group at Dalhousie University. It was also during this time that Sue started to do casual work at a local group home where she was eventually hired on full-time and remained there for about a year.
            Sue began her teaching career as a substitute English teacher at Bedford Junior High for grades eight and nine. Within a couple of years, she was offered a full-time teaching position for grade six at Hillside Park Elementary in Sackville, Nova Scotia. She describes this as the “best job ever and the best place to work”. She remained there for six or so years until her position was considered “redundant”.
            Sue’s next teaching position was at Sackville Heights Junior High School and then at Lockview High School. Sue’s next position would take a slightly different direction and move from solely educating adolescents to educating both teachers and students as a literacy coach. She has been in this position full-time for over five years.
Conclusion           
           The life-work narrative of Sue McKay sincerely tells an extraordinary story of resilience, determination, courage and accomplishment in the face of adversity and obstacles. While it would be impossible, not to mention insulting, for me to truly capture and represent the entirety and breadth of Sue’s life-work experiences in this paper, I have proposed a brief outline and description of her family and education background, significant people and life events, and past work experience.