If I may have a Word with you

There's this whole "One Word" thing.  Maybe you don't know about it.  Before I cannonballed into bloggy land, I didn't know about it either.  From what I gather, you choose one word to be your focus for the year.  Honestly, that seems like a pretty big commitment.  I mean, one word for the entire year?

So I avoided it.  Because I can commit to very few things in life.  Handsome?  Fo-eva.  Deli-style ham?  Most of my formative years, and long into the future.  But a word?  For an entire year?  One word, 366 (!! because it's leap year!!) days... I mean, maybe if it was 365.  I just don't know about that last day.

But then my pastor spoke one Sunday.  He said "Ask God to give you a burden for others."  And I wanted a burden.  But I wanted more than that, too.  Pastor G. said that a burden would move you to action, but I need more action, I need explosive action.  So I did ask God to give me a burden for others, but also for him to give me Passion.  This morning, I prayed, "God, let this year be full of passion."  And then I thought, (yes, in the middle of praying) - that's my word.

Passion for people.  A life's passion to work towards.  Passion in the morning, passion in the evening, passion at supper time.

Definition: A strong and barely controlable emotion.  Any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling.

So that's my word, that's my (stolen & cropped) picture of my word, and that's my focus.  To be passionate.  To be barely controlled, but in a good and directed way.  To be compelled to action.

Linked up here

Passion all around,

TFW

Passion Shmashion

NOTE:  Now accepting alternate spellings for the word "shmashion"

I read this girl's blog today.  She has inspired me.  Unless, that is, you are a person for whom true inspiration must lead directly to action.  Because as I see it, there will be no immediate action out of this encounter today.  But at the same time, her passion for what she does, her total abandonment for regular same-ole-same-ole, has stirred something inside of me.  It has brought questions to life that have been dormant now for a few months, and even some that I've never really considered.

My passion: what is it?  What does passion look like?  Is every passion worth pursuing?  If I've got a passion, if it gives me direction, then what?  Can a pursuit of one's passion be a part-time thing?  If it's only fleeting, is it truly a passion?

Is this my passion?
Is it enough to be a passion?

I've met some people, online and in real life, who are following their passion.  They "knew what they wanted to do since [they] were six years old and saw [the movie]."  They "don't even feel like it's work, because [they] like it so much".  For them, "time flies while [they're] at work because they don't even notice."  

I do know one thing - homework is not my passion.  However, I have an assignment (or four) waiting right now, so I'm going to have to still these voices for a little bit.  You don't though.  What is your passion?  What would you do "if you knew you could not fail" (to coin a corny phrase).  Is it still the same one from when you were young, or is it new?  Have you abandoned all to chase it?  Do you even want to?

Able to Stifle Passion for only So Long,

TFW