To Be: Passionate

pas•sion•ate

[pash-uh-nit]

–adjective

1. having, compelled by, or ruled by intense emotion or strong feeling; fervid.
2. ardently sensual.
3. expressing, showing, or marked by intense or strong feeling; emotional.
4. intense or vehement, as emotions or feelings.
5. easily moved to anger; quick-tempered; irascible.

“Nothing great in the world has ever been accomplished without passion.”
- Christian Friedrich Hebbel

passionate. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/passionate (accessed: October 20, 2008).

Love: Fight For What We Love

“There would be no passion in this world if we never had to fight for what we love.”

- Susie Switzer

I’m sure you’ve heard the quote, “I’m a lover, not a fighter.” The peaceful person in me would rather love than fight any day, but I know in my heart, the things truly worthy of my love are worth a bit of a fight.

Sometimes, I just wish people would think about taking a more passionate approach to life knowing that nothing good or worthy comes without a lot of effort, perhaps some pain, and a dash of fighting spirit willing that “something that we love” into being.

Why, even having a baby comes with all of that, right?

Why is it that we equate “being a fighter” synonymous with “bad”? It’s not. It’s holy. Those who fought the original crusades and battles winning through immense circumstances were so-called fighters. Those who traveled the wilderness and deserts; some were pioneers, some were prophets. I can think of no higher calling.

When you learn to reach in and fight for what you love, what you hold dear to your heart, you will find courage within the recesses of your soul. If you get knocked down, get right back up. Learn to maybe not so much love the hits so much as know what you’ll get in the end for taking the shots. Nothing worth anything comes to you without a certain amount of blows to the chin. And if you have gotten this far in life pretty easily, imagine what you’ve never known by not fighting a little bit harder, trying a little harder, and taking a few more punches to the gut.

Life is hard won. Love it. Love the process. And fight.