When I was in 6th grade I made a new friend who was passionate about horses. I think it is a right of passage to know someone in middle school who has a passion for horses. She had posters and calendars with horses, she drew them, her grandfather had one, horses were her thing.
I was thinking about her the other day, a name I have not forgotten over the years, but yet a friendship that was laid to rest 30 years ago. Not because of a disagreement or my lack of passion of horses, just time and life happened. But she popped in my head when I was hearing about the passions my nieces and nephew have in their lives. I was wondering, "what will stick?"
That girl from 6th grade, I would be none too surprised if her passion about horses turned into some sort of profession. I mean it was that big of a deal to her, I remember getting into horse posters due to our friendship at the time too. But I was never as passionate about them.
I loved being a ballet dancer, but I wouldn't have called it a passion or obsession. That's the word I have been looking for....obsession!
I was probably more obsessed with boys in 6th grade than I was with ballet. I was more successful as a dancer. I think I've always been passionate about my friendships. Perhaps obsessed. A lot has to do with what they bring into my life, maybe some of it has to do with what the boys I liked took from it.
But friendships have been my passion for as long as I can remember. I was telling my sister the other day, I'm persistent, a little annoying, but I put in the work to maintain the friendships and sometimes, without harm, hurt or humility, the friendships run its course. Like the girl with the horses.
But what about the passions of my nieces and nephew, I often wonder what will stick. Because I wasn't passionate about travel when I was their age, but I'm addicted to it and adventure now. I wasn't passionate about planning events or being organized, but I'll be damned if I'm not now and good at it. Professionally organized, at least, the rest of my life is like someone knocked over a rolodex with the stick long gone on the back of post-it notes.
I have a niece who is passionate about dinosaurs and I secretly really want her to grow up to be a paleontologist or an archeologist of some sort. I would love to see that just to follow her course. I think I've kept everyone guessing along the way in my life, which I have thoroughly loved, but I'm certain my parents had some insecurity and uncertainty along the way.
The others are passionate about soccer or swimming or singing or reading and all of those things can lead into some incredible paths for their futures. But there is something in each of those passions that is stirring up something pretty awesome too, that we may not have ever expected. As I told my sisters the other day, I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up. But what I forgot to mention, is that I hope I continue doing what I'm passionate about, what I may fail at sometimes, but what will continue to bring me joy and adventure too.
So what did you do when you were young that you think lead you to what you are doing now?
#followyourbliss #passion #followyourpath #createyourownpath #bepatient #obsession #storytimetuesdays
