It is obvious that we can no more explain a passion
to a person who has never experienced it
than we can explain light to the blind. T.S. Eliot
i’ve been thinking a lot about passions lately… first of all, just as we are all unique, so are our passions. they are very personal. i’m sure we have all seen instances in which one man’s passion is another man’s joke. like i said…. personal!
just because we are passionate about something, whether it be an art form, a humanitarian cause, a hobby, a political position, a book…. well, could be literally ANYTHING…. doesn’t mean someone else will be, even if we know them well and think they might..
we have to be careful about our assumptions and our expectations. i have found that out the hard way a time or two. i think we also have to be careful not to judge those who do not share our passions. it can be a quick way to alienate them or to put distance between us.
having said all of that, i do think that passions are a gift. do you know any passion-less people? they will not likely be on your list of favorite friends. i believe that we ALL have passions, but some of us have buried them. deep down. or possibly never investigated enough to uncover them in the first place. life can do that sometimes….
and while we do not want to foist them on others, i think it’s super important to try to find those who DO share our passions. because, well, they can be delicate. fragile even. and sometimes just a little support can make all the difference.
let’s support each other’s passions
even if they are different from our own!!
(new retreat post is up here)
I soooo agree with absolutely everything you have said in this post, Patty! hugs, Donna
ReplyDeleteyour post is thought provoking and photos are fabulous!!(especially love that second one with the feather!!)
ReplyDeleteyeah...i know a lot of passionless people here at work...they also seem to be the most unhappiest people as well! I think passion and happiness go hand in hand! And I feel soooo incredibly grateful to have LOTS of passions in my life!!
Dear Patty-I think that our passions are what keep us alive...our souls and spirits fully burning bright (if a little sleep deprived!!). I agree with you..respecting each others passions is key to respecting (and following) our own.
ReplyDeleteP.S. You can come over for a creative date too my friend:) xxx
So much to think about here. And - yes - we all our passionate about something..and supporting each other along the way is the only way to go.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to think if I know any passionless people. I don't think I do! Which is not to say that I understand all of them, but I do like passionate people. I love it when I get all fired up about something that I never thought I would care about at all, just because someone else was fired up about it. Of course, then I forget about it once they're gone, but still .. love that.
ReplyDelete