On Doing What You Love

Chatting with a relatively new friend the other day, the subject of passion jumped up front and center. I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised, He’s a musician from a musical family, and we both recognized the kinship that arranges itself between people who are fully immersed in their mediums, driven by some kind of pure but intangible source. The kind of thing you’re not only inspired to do, but “have” to do. The kind of thing that makes your spirit dance and your heart sing.

For my friend and I, it was music and art. But it can be almost anything. You recognize it by the nonexistence of time, by the absence of worry or thought of worldly concerns, by a sense of focus that feels effortless for the most part, and if not effortless, effortlessly enjoyable. You also recognize it when you’ve gone too long without. I know for me, my spirit kicks and screams without proper feedings! I get cranky. I yearn. I hunger. (Hmm, this is reminiscent of needing chocolate… ) I feel out of sync.

It can also arrive at any age. Mine came early  (although I didn’t recognize it for what it was for quite a while), but some people don’t discover those things that set their soul on fire until later in life. Doesn’t matter. What does matter is that when you know about it, you use it and you do what you love.

I consider myself a living experiment when it comes to doing what you love. I could have dropped off ages ago and taken a safe position doing any number of things in any number of businesses. In my circumstances it might have even seemed the wiser approach. A child to raise, all of that. But I didn’t, and I can’t imagine having done it any other way. Sure, I could imagine greater financial wealth, along with different people, different situations – and probably different worries too. But this is what I know, this path, the one I’ve followed so far  ~ and it’s felt right because I’m not denying my spirit a chunk of what it needs, and in turn what I need in order to thrive.

So whatever drives you, what makes you lose track of time and feel alive in your toes, in your blood and in your bones, find a way to build that into your life. Maybe it’s not just one thing (it’s usually more than one ~ for example, drumming makes my spirit do the Lindy Hop, sends me in orbit somewhere, but I’m okay saving that for special days). Pick one and work it! Do what you love. Don’t say “oh someday…” If you feel passionate ~ or just want to test the waters to see if it’s only your imagination ~ carve out the time, some way, some how. Those things that call to you are there, inside you, for a reason. Go! Do! Shine a light, give breath to what you love! Make your heart sing.

Ah! I get all worked up. I want more singing hearts out there, more smiling, uplifted hearts! Spirits on fire with what floats their boat.

But I’ll climb down from my soapbox now. (And since I’ve not been able to forget about that reference to chocolate, off I go to imbibe. … )