Proud to Be an Amateur
Professionals get paid to play. Amateurs pay to play.
A professional is a respected achiever who has qualified his or her way to the top. Amateurs are often looked down upon as "less-than"-- unworthy of status, credentials and wealth.
So it's better to be a pro, right?
Except, perhaps, in this one sense:
Professionals do what they do primarily to get paid, to reap the rewards of their skills. So why do amateurs do what they do?
Let's look at the word origin for a hint:
French amateur "lover of", from Old French and ultimately from Latin amatorem nom. amator "lover"
Karaoke singers, weekend golfers, local surfers and fishing aficionados all know the deal. Amateurs do it for the love. And in this sense, as it pertains to my chosen profession of chiropractic, I hope to always have the soul of an amateur.
And in my public service endeavors, I pray that I may never turn into a professional politician.
Amateur always.