“Without passion man is a mere latent force and possibility, like the flint which awaits the shock of the iron before it can give forth its spark.”
-Henri Amiel (1821-1881)
Passion is such a primal human trait. We all know what it is, what it feels like. Whether it is passion for a person, place, or activity, passion is what carries us forward to new and greater heights of life experiences. And it is through these experiences that we learn more about ourselves, and are able to express ourselves. Our passions show us who we are, and what we can do.
“The fiery moments of passionate experience are the moments of wholeness and totality of the personality.”
-Anais Nin (1968)
Passion is often associated with fire. It feels “hot.” It feels like it could consume us. We need to pay attention to the things that we feel passionate about. Our passions are tools which help us to learn and grow. When we are pursuing our passions we feel alive, we are living in the moment, taking it all in and savoring each experience. The are the times when we are more of who we really are, and we know it.
“It is the soul’s duty to be loyal to its own desires. It must abandon itself to its master passion.”
-Rebecca West (1985)
Something within us helps us to find our passions. It’s not like a conscious choice, like looking through a catalog and picking a hobby or something. We are drawn to things that we feel passionate about. We can’t help but move towards things that give us that drive, that energy, that life force that is so all-encompassing. We have the desires, and the passions that we have for a reason. And pursuing our passions is one of the most important things we can do while we're living our lives.
