I want a passion.
I so admire people who have a passion. My friend Tim loves his job and has known for years that he wants to work in the healthcare field. My Aunt Jean had a passion for psychology and obtained her Masters and Ph.D in the field. She was a college professor, and her passion was evidenced in so many ways--whether it was taming a litter of wild kittens or leading a group of students to help potty-train an entire ward of adult psychiatric patients. Donatello's mom loves to paint; has a studio; takes classes; and devotes a lot of time to perfecting her art. Donatello loves baseball and played in college and continues to play in two leagues.
I have always enjoyed sports, but I never could understand how someone could like a sport so much that they wanted to do it every day for hours. I would go to basketball or tennis camp in the summer, but I couldn't fathom day in and day out of playing the same sport. I guess that's why I stuck with track and cross country in school as the practices were only an hour. Even now when I think about signing up to play in a tennis league, I balk because it requires you to play tennis three days a week.
Rather than passions, I have what would better be described as curiousities I suppose. I'll feel very passionate about something for a day or two (like joining the FBI after watching Silence of the Lambs), but the strong feelings always pass. For example, last year I decided I wanted to write a book. I worked on it a lot for about a month or two, but then my desire passed and I slowly stopped making time for it. While I really enjoyed teaching Spanish to 4th and 5th graders, I couldn't imagine doing it for years like most teachers do.
One article I read said that in discovering your passions, you should examine what you would be willing to do even if it was for free. Hmm. That's not that helpful but as for what I love to do....spending time with my nieces, baking and eating baked goods, exercising (or at least some of the time), being lazy and sleeping, traveling, trying new restaruants, non-surfacey conversations, and listening to people's stories. But I don't consider those my passion. I would think that by 27 years of age I would know what my passion is!
Perhaps I have an unrealistic notion of passion, and it is something that must be cultivated and requires you to force yourself to focus on it? Or maybe I just need some Adderrall like a doctor once suggested. I would love to hear about others' passions....maybe it'll inspire one in me!
6 comments:
Your brogs arways make me raugh and smire! You seem to awrays have something insighfur to say, Arrison. I think that in time you wirr find your passion. It seems to stem from your rerigion. You seem very passionate about rerigion and I think that in time, you wirr rearize your true passion. Just be patient!
Karen
I’m not sure that drugs are the answer – unless you are seeking to dull the senses rather than heighten them. Passion and certainly our perceptions of what it should be is a rather elusive idea. My problem is having too many passions and desires to seek after many paths. Because I can’t focus on one over another I tend to stay on my current path.
“You should examine what you would be willing to do even if it was for free”, while that sounds good in theory it’s obviously not practical and is more cliché than truth. I think you would do well to check out "The Call" by Os Guinness, which I am currently reading. He spends a great deal of time urging the reader to pursue the call of Jesus wherever he takes you. He reminds us that there is not a separation between secular and sacred jobs, but that we all must fulfill our purposes to seek God’s will. There we will find our passions.
I will definitely check out that book Jeff. Thanks for the recommendation. I just wish I heard Jesus's call insofar as my vocation. Since I don't "hear" His call, I just maintain the status quo. I don't think that's necessarily the right path either. Sometimes I think we're supposed to step out in faith, knowing that God can close and open doors and help us get through anything.
It's reassuring to know that God has a purpose for each of our lives. How come I think mine is to be a stay-at-home mom with a personal trainer, tennis coach, and daily massages? Ok, kidding about the trainer and coach part.
You know what – I don’t know if I hear his call when it comes to my vocation either. There are times when I feel like I have tons of ideas and a vision for the future at my job and there are times when I feel like I’m just here for a season. But the fact of the matter is that God is always doing a work within us and is always in our presence. He gives us opportunities to serve him and not ourselves everyday and I think that is what I need to focus on. Service or work or vocation in His name – not mine.
You are absolutely right about needing to step out in faith and allowing God to open and close the doors He chooses. And you’ll see those doors open in His timing, so there is still that opportunity for the daily massages ;-)
Thanks for the much needed reminder that I am given opportunities every day (and in my current job) to serve Him.
It would seem to me that you possess an incredible amount of passion. Perhaps you don't recognize this as passion? (Which seems to be the case as you speak as if you're having a passion identity crisis?)
I know you well enough to know that you're always looking for new experiences. New places to travel. New cultures (full of new food!) New bakeries with the bestest icing EVER. Your passion IS knowledge. To experience, to learn, to grow.
And that brings us to why you've written this blog. Your passion being to learn: you want to KNOW what it is that other people are passionate about.
This psychological analysis was free. I'm billing for the next one. :D
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