Friday, February 16, 2007
Passion
Recently, I have been challenged to think about passion. Not romantic passion, but the passion people have to do certain things. Lets take my dad as an example here. My dad has a passion for science. He retired recently, and now he spends even more time doing scientific stuff than he used to when he was employed as a scientist. He has a passion.
In some ways what I'm talking about is quite similar to an Everest. Growing up, I have always felt that I needed a passion, that I was muddling through life, and one day I would find a passion that would show me where I should be focusing my efforts.
The challenging that I have been thinking through recently is this. Do I need a passion. Is a passion necessary for life, or is it something some people will have and others will not? And if it is not, how do you go about living life without one?
It seems to me that a Passion is not necessary, in fact I can see situations where it could be quite detrimental. A married couple who both have passions that are not exactly in sync are going to end up fighting a lot more than the average.
I know some of you are at this point thinking “Your a Christian, you do have a passion, and that is for seeing gods gospel spread”. True, but not completely... The thing is that while that is a goal for most Christians, I think it is fair to say that it is not a passion, at least not of the kind I am talking about. There are people for whom it is, and generally, they are ministers or missionaries. But God did not plan for us all to be missionaries or ministers.
What am I saying? I think I am saying that while I have a desire to spread the gospel, (and also a desire to support other Christians) I don't think that either of these are something I could describe as a passion. Maybe I'm wrong here? Maybe my passion should be for this?
What am I talking about here? Is passion even the right word, or should I be talking about Obsession? That word has quite negative connotations, but it is probably closer to the concept I am trying to grasp. Now don't get me wrong, I think obsessions are important in this world. I don't think scientific advancement would happen without people who had this obsession (along with the ability to do the work) I just think there is a price to them too, and I wonder if it's a price everyone should be paying?
So, here's what I want to ask. Do you feel that you have a passion(obsession?). A driving force that guides your life. Something you would give up and suffer much for. And if so what? Do you think it is wrong to not have a passion? And for those without one, how do you go through life without one?
Anyway on with the rest of the question.
We'll, short of their being a Commandment that says "Thou shalt have a Passion" there is no reason that you 'should' have one. Particularly as it would seem that not everyone has one. I would even go so far as to say that the people who do have one are in the minority.
Sure, there are advantages to having one, it 'can' provide you with direction, it tipically provides you with a great sense of joy/accomplishment/fufilment. But, as you said, there can be a price, a price which will differ depending on the nature of the Passion. And, in turn each individual has to ask themselves if they are willing to pay that price, sometimes it is too high, sometimes it isn't, it depends on the person.
I wouldn't be too worried if i were you, a such a Passion can not be forced, you cannot create one where one does not exist, or turn something else into one. It can only happen organically, and if it does, you probably wont even notice until after the fact. When (if) it happens, deal with it then, only then will you be able to deal with it.
Having one can make some things easier, quite a few of the people I work with have a passion for their work. It means they enjoy it more, and they're generally better at their jobs than those who don't have a passion for it. On the flip side, they also tend to put more time into their work than they're paid for, and get more emotionally involved in problems that are related to their work.
There's nothing wrong with having one, and there's nothing wrong with not having one, they're just two states of being. People get through most of their lives without being passionate about it. Most people have a passion for at least one thing, and it usually helps them enjoy themselves.
As for getting by without.. Well, you don't get the joy of indulging your passion, but you don't get any of the negatives that go along with it. It's a mix blessing at best.
: Monday, February 19, 2007 3:30:00 pm It certainly seems less dangerous than having too much passion, which seems to lead to art and drug abuse in equal quantities. And/or blowing up other peoples' buildings.
I always Listen. If what you are asking is will I agree with and implement, then I can't say.
It is however an honest question and one I am struggling with at the moment. I would appreciate as many perspectives as possible.
The big question, though, is not whether or not passion is necessary for life, since it clearly isn't. The question is this: do you feel your life is lacking if you don't have one?
Side note: I know I'm rare amongst Christians in this but, when it comes to my faith, my passion isn't for spreading the word of God amongst the heathens. My passion is for God and for spreading his love. And, personally, I think that's the way it should be.
Not quite, I'm asking what YOU use to define yourself as a person.
I wasn't planning to steal soeone elses Passion and become a carbon copy of them, just trying to understand the issue better.
So I guess I don't really have a passion, and I'm getting on just fine. I just continue to wake up, do some interesting stuff, keep myself awake, then go to sleep. That's mostly how I get on.
: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 11:00:00 am << Home
