For What Do We Toil All Day?

This post has been sitting in 'Drafts' for a few weeks now...

Attended an oral workshop a few weeks back and there was a statement that we had to read with expression- "For what do we toil all day?" 

It had got me thinking throughout last few weeks... So for what do I toil all day?  

I've been as busy as a bee ever since I got back in school. I've enjoyed my work, but I just wish I don't have to spend such long hours...

Waking up daily at 5am, just so I can leave home by 5.30am, taking 3 different buses so that I can reach school before 7am. In the evening, I leave school at about 5pm-6pm and spent about another 2 hrs commuting home. After dinner, I sat down in front of my laptop and started working again. However, regardless of the number of hours I out in daily, in school & out of school, I never seem to be able to complete my work... And worse, work gets piling up... There's always more... I'm tired, exhausted at the end of the day but I had problems sleeping. My mind was kept actively thinking about school & work...

So for what am I toiling all day?

For money? For worldly processions?

We have no debts, no loans to repay. So we're financial free.
We've enough savings... We're not rich but we're definitely living well within our means. 

I don't do a lot of shopping... I'm a really 'low maintenance', not a big spender.
 I can do without shopping for months. I don't go for branded goods.
I don't believe in spending hundreds and thousands of dollars on a bag.
I am happy carrying the same $30 bag to school the whole year.
I'm pleased with my 100 Thai Baht shoes, they're most comfortable and I've been wearing them ever since I've bought them during the Dec hols.

I'm satisfied with the $5 haircut I get from my neighbourhood hair saloon.
So I don't really spend a lot...

So what do I spend on? Where do my $ go to?
20% of my net monthly income does to my parents. They're retired and like to go travelling. I admired their sense of adventure when they took part in a 3-weeks 4 wheel drive holiday and drove all the way from Malaysia to Yunan in China back in 2006. Their latest plan is to take part in a 5-weeks 4-wheel drive trip all the way to Tibet! I hope that I can travel around the world with Jerome too!
10% goes to my various insurance plans.
30 % goes to various expenses like transport, food, miscellaneous expenses and donations.
Whatever is left are really my savings until I spend them during the holidays :P
I do manage to save quite a comfortable portion of my income every month as I don't shop as often as I know most of my friends do.
Conclusion: I don't need to work for $ since I don't really use much of them anyway.

So for what do I toil all day?
I do love my job! I get a great deal of satisfaction in what I do.
I love teaching the children and interacting with them.
I'm glad that I get paid for doing what I enjoy...
"Do something that you like and you wouldn't have work a day in your life."
Teaching is something that I love and school life has always been such a huge part of my life.
Teaching has made my life more meaningful and more purposeful...

But I must admit that I just don't have the drive that I used to have.
I'm tired... exhuasted... I start to question why...
The daily long commute is taking its toil...
I hate all the admin., paper work and all the redundant stuff.
I feel overwhelmed, exhausted and stressed.
I can't sleep well at night.
I could hardly find the time and energy for other things.
It's impossible to achieve a work-life balance.
I began to despair...

Jerome has thrown me a life-line...
Submit the letter and stay at home and be a 'domesticated' wife once again.
I can be home to cook him 3 meals for him daily.
I can have a few tuition kids to occupy my time.
I can attend cake decorating and cooking classes.
I can hit the gym regularly.

It's really such a tempting offer...
What should I do?
Do another irresponsible disappearing act again?
I realize that quitting takes a lot of courage...
Coming up with a decision is not as easy as I thought...