The Art of Work: A Proven Path to Discovering What You Were Meant to Do

older man groomed him for a promising future.
One night, after months if not years of service, Samuel
awoke before dawn. Startling awake, he sat up in bed and
looked around.
Nothing.
He swore he’d heard somebody whispering his name.
But no one was there. Settling back into bed, the boy fell
asleep only to be awakened again a few seconds later. This
time, he was sure; it was a voice.
“Here I am!” he shouted back. No answer. Running into
Eli’s room, he shouted, “Here I am; you called me.”
Eli rose out of bed, squinting his eyes, which were
beginning to fail him.
“I did not call,” he said, confused. “Go back and lie
down.”
Samuel was confused as well, but he did not want to
argue with his master. So he returned to his room and slowly
laid his head back down. He forced his eyes shut, too
anxious to sleep. For what seemed like hours but in reality
was only a few minutes, Samuel lay in bed. Then as his
eyelids began to grow heavy, he heard it again, just as quiet
as before but persistent as ever.
“Samuel . . .”
He shot up in bed, his heart racing. He called his master
again while once again rushing into Eli’s room. Again, the
two were equally confused.
“My son,” Eli said. “I did not call. Go back and lie
down.”