BE PASSIONATE
The other evening I had the pleasure of participating in a gathering of about 25 Caltech students. The group had no name, no title and no real backing from the college community. But each of person in the room had a passion for something and a place to share that.
During the two-hour gathering we were instructed to do one thing or the other. On this particular evening we were educated and participated in spoken word. For most part it was a very enjoyable. Yet, I couldn’t really figure out what was the purpose of the gather. (Of course, with that being said, not everything really needs a purpose does it? But I digress.) Why did this unnamed group meet and exists? Then as the group leader was ending the evening he said something that struck me and really made total sense to why this group met on a weekly basis during the school year.
“We just wanted to provide a place were people can share their passions. Not necessarily share and talk about what we are good at but what we are passionate about.”
Never thought about the two being vastly different but if you really mull over it, being good and passionate about something don’t always intertwine.
For example, I am good at keeping courtside computer stats at a basketball game but I’m not passionate about it. I don’t think about how I can get better on an everyday basis or wake-up in the night thinking about a silly mistake I made.
To continue, I have a passion to help homeless people. I want to educate myself more about the issue by reading, interacting and working with the issue. Furthermore I want to invest (and by invest I mean donate without expecting anything in return) my tithe in those efforts. On most days, many of my thoughts are apart serving the homeless.
But for whatever reason the thought of people good at something doesn’t always equal passion. And the reserve is true as well. You may have a passion for something but be horrible at it. Yet that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue it.
Does this make any sense to anybody else out there? Maybe I’m over blowing this. But the thought of creating an environment and space for people to share their passions is just really awesome. Because how often are we allowed and empowered to display our passions?
During the two-hour gathering we were instructed to do one thing or the other. On this particular evening we were educated and participated in spoken word. For most part it was a very enjoyable. Yet, I couldn’t really figure out what was the purpose of the gather. (Of course, with that being said, not everything really needs a purpose does it? But I digress.) Why did this unnamed group meet and exists? Then as the group leader was ending the evening he said something that struck me and really made total sense to why this group met on a weekly basis during the school year.
“We just wanted to provide a place were people can share their passions. Not necessarily share and talk about what we are good at but what we are passionate about.”
Never thought about the two being vastly different but if you really mull over it, being good and passionate about something don’t always intertwine.
For example, I am good at keeping courtside computer stats at a basketball game but I’m not passionate about it. I don’t think about how I can get better on an everyday basis or wake-up in the night thinking about a silly mistake I made.
To continue, I have a passion to help homeless people. I want to educate myself more about the issue by reading, interacting and working with the issue. Furthermore I want to invest (and by invest I mean donate without expecting anything in return) my tithe in those efforts. On most days, many of my thoughts are apart serving the homeless.
But for whatever reason the thought of people good at something doesn’t always equal passion. And the reserve is true as well. You may have a passion for something but be horrible at it. Yet that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t pursue it.
Does this make any sense to anybody else out there? Maybe I’m over blowing this. But the thought of creating an environment and space for people to share their passions is just really awesome. Because how often are we allowed and empowered to display our passions?
posted by Stephen Hinkel at
3:51 PM
2 Comments:
Howdy friend,
I bet you'll like this:
http://spacing.ca/wire/2007/04/02/homeless-signs/
L
By
Leslie Gates, at 5:38 PM
Mmm, so true!
BTW, we did not make it to Diddy's. After UCLA our parking meter was expired, and we had many other things to do. I always say, "Gotta have a reason to go back!" And hopefully the next visit won't be so rushed!
By
Very Sleepy Girl, at 9:43 PM
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