Passionate Fire

I recently heard the statement made that almost all people lack real passion. That even for a single "anything", they have no real passion. That in truth, 99% of people have no idea what having a passion, or experiencing passion actually means.

I was absolutely flabbergasted by this statement. Everyone has a passion for something, right?

My take has always been that everyone has a passion for something (or someone), even if it's something small that no one understands. Feeling that this comment had been blithely made, and rather naively at that, I went right to Mr. Savy. I couldn't wait to share what "those fools" were saying now. I just knew he would see how silly, and in a way horrifying, the viewpoint that people are ignorant of true passion was. I knew we would just laugh and shake our heads sadly at the poor, misguided souls.

I was disappointed. I told Mr. Savy what was said, and waited for the laughing rejoinder on how silly an idea it was that people didn't really know passion. Instead all I received was a blank shrug, and a "Yeah, and...?"

It turns out that Mr. Savy felt that this was the truth all along. He went on to lecture me (never give that man an opening to a lecture) on how most people really don't know what passion is. They know what hobbies are, interests, and lets face the obvious here; sex. But that having true passion is something a bit more elusive. In our media-stricken world, it's all about trysts in the elevator between floors, but that isn't what is meant by having true passion.

So, then I began to doubt myself. Do I not know passion? I kind of fancied myself as a passionate person in general... but from the conversation, it seems that was an entirely wrong application of meaning to begin with. Sort of like the irritation that some grammatical authorities have over the word "awesome" being bandied about (i.e. a brightly colored package isn't "awesome", but realizing that you are a part of this huge universe, with possibilities unknown is awesome.)

Of course, you just have to ask. Even if you are worried that this is entirely opening you up to complaints of a more personal nature. I mean, this could get really bad.

"Am I? I mean, if you believe everyone isn't for the most part... am I?"

"Annoyingly so." (Ok, now I'm not sure that was a good answer either. What the heck does that mean? Annoyingly so? Sort of damned if you do, and damned if you don't at that point. Thanks a lot!)

He may have noticed my brooding (perhaps menacing) silence. "Look, I believe that true passion is rare. People have hobbies, and things that they're really into, and might really like something... but there is a whole other realm where it becomes a 'passion'. Like you're fitness, you're into it, major, but it's not a passion. It's more like a hobby. But it's different with your art, right? That's a passion... except you've been stupid about it, not focusing on it like you should. But it's still a passion. Plus, you are this extremely intense person. I think in some cases this intensity can be called 'passionate', but at the same time I don't think that is what we're really talking about. "

He's not wrong. Fitness is a hobby, something to keep me occupied. I cannot breath without art. I see the point. But that wasn't my original point; everyone has something that they are truly passionate about, or for. They have something or someone in their lives that creates a spark, which in turn burns far brighter and hotter than any "hobby". It could be anything, but it's there.

But what does that really mean? What makes a person passionate about something or someone? Is it the depth to which you would risk yourself? Would you die for it? Wouldn't that pretty much make any parent an automatically passionate person? (The argument is that the biological instinct to protect and die for your young isn't passion, because it involves a level that is programmed for survival. In other words, a necessary passion, therefore not an independent development.) Is it the degree to which you dedicate yourself? At what point does passion become classified as addiction? It seems that by these terms there might be a very fine line.

So, I'm throwing the questions to you: Do you believe that only a few people in the world are truly passionate, or have a true passion? Or do you believe that people have interests, but all in all most of us are just sort of going through life finding things we like to occupy ourselves with... but it pretty much ends there. Are you a passionate person? Do you have a passion(s)?