passion

Lately, I've been thinking a lot about passion. Or maybe it's more appropriate to say that I've been feeling very passionate. It's something I've felt for a while: passion for my blog, food, travel, relationships, love, my kids in India, helping others... to name a few. Though to some, this "passionate feeling" may seem ordinary,  I find it somewhat unique. For those of us who are passionate about a certain something or even have a passion for life in general, I think we're lucky. and I also think we're the minority. So many of us just simply go through the motions, day in and day out, without really experiencing or living life. So many of us find things we like or care about, but finding a passion is often harder and at times, seemingly impossible. I know this because that used to be me. If there's one thing I could tell my high school self I'd say: "Someday, you will be blissfully happy and that happiness will come from you and your passions; not the guy next door or your absurdly expensive prom dress... but from you." I wish I could explain the feeling further, but I think this quote [and corresponding photo with some of my favorite people in the world] beautifully sums it up:

“Passion, it lies in all of us, sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... passion rules us all, and we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace... but we would be hollow... empty rooms shuttered and dank. Without passion we'd be truly dead.” - Joss Whedon

{i could not have said it better myself}