Yep, I cried. Right there in my living room with “nothing to cry about”, I cried.
If you’re wondering what made me cry (and already forgot the blog title) I’ll freely admit that I cried as I listened to 2CELLOS and the Sydney Orchestra perform a concert.
As I sat in my living room enjoying our gorgeous view of the Gorge, watching the wind blow, watching the Hummingbirds dance and watching the 2CELLOS concert (found here) I wept.
I wept for the beauty of nature. I wept for the melodic tunes being played. However, as I gave thought to why I was so moved, I realized I was moved by witnessing people living out their passion in full.
2CELLOS has been playing for many years and as you listen and watch them you can sense their passion. (See below for a pic of our cat watching them on a replay). They have so much fun performing and visibly enjoy each other while doing so. They also enjoy the orchestra they are playing with and fully enjoy entertaining their audience. It’s truly a wonder to behold people moving in their passion. This passion, this beheld wonder is what brought tears to my eyes.
Perhaps that sounds odd to you, but stick with me here as I am confident that once I explain myself you’ll see what I mean.
Think about that ONE person you know who just seems to absolutely be doing what they were made to do. Can you think of one? I hope you can think of more than one…
If you can’t think of a person, go to nature to witness creatures moving how they were made to move. I instantly think of the little feather covered hummers outside my window. Its easy to see how they are moving exactly how they were made to move – with full excellence and beautiful artistry.
As I think about the human side of moving in passion in life, I think of a beautiful young woman I know, Grace Hall. She just graduated from Boise State University with Bachelor of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with minors in Arabic, Political Science, and Global Studies (and was a Top Ten Scholar) – WoW!
She has had a passion for Middle Eastern studies, Arabic Language and Culture for as long as I can remember. She has followed that passion throughout her high school and college career, sometimes to the chagrin of extended family 😉 , but she has never, never stopped following her heart.
Grace has made several trips to the Middle Eastern part of the world (Jordan, Israel and Morocco) and has consistently chased, learned, grown and poured herself into what she loves. As a result of her excellence in pursuit of her passion she was recently awarded the Fulbright Scholarship. This means she will have a year fully paid for during which she will live in Jordan teaching English, engaging in the culture and growing further into her passion. Wow. Grace inspires me, to say the least! To read all the amazing facts about Grace: click here.
Oh to be so inspired by a young woman in her 20’s as I am a woman nearing her 50’s – what an honor and a gift! (Ahem, not that it matters, but note the nearing 50 as I am NOT there quite yet 😉 ) I wish I had knowledge of a passion like that inside me and had followed it at such a young age.
If I’m honest I wish I had that depth of passion and wish I was following it now. As I wept during the 2CELLOS concert I believe part of my tears (which weren’t sad at the foundation) were from a deep wondering within me. I was wondering “Am I making a difference?” I was wondering “Am I doing, in ANY way, what I was created to do?”
Since I’m typing honestly here, I would say I don’t think I am and that really makes me want to weep. I know my passion is to help people learn to love themselves and to live in freedom from wrong beliefs but I don’t seem to be able to launch my ship to truly follow that passion.
Rather, I feel like I’m in a little boat anchored in the river while the water of life moves around me. What’s worse is that I feel like not moving in what I was made for is slowing killing me. I was never taught to know myself, to honor myself or to follow my desires. I am not alone in that realm. Honestly the number of adults (& children) that have not learned to know and love themselves and to trust their hearts is devastating. How do I know that? I look around the world and see the lack of fulfillment and passion on way too many faces.
I think overwhelmingly we, as individuals in our American Society, are taught how to behave, how to color inside the lines, how to blend in and are taught that we should always strive to live up to other’s expectations of us, regardless if they line up with our own. Or maybe that is just me, lol?! 😉
If that is what so many of us have been taught, the next question is – What Now? What do I do now?
Do I blame people in my life for not teaching me to know and love me? Nope.
Do I resign to simply existing day by day, eating, sleeping, working in a passionless job just clicking off the years until I leave this planet? H-E-double hockey sticks – No!
I refuse to play the blame game. No one is responsible for me except me. Blaming others for my current outlook or circumstances only steals from my strength to overcome and move forward. It is my choice to move forward, however that looks, and its my choice to change my world, period.
I recently heard a sermon on Joseph (the favored one of the 12 sons of Jacob) preached by Steven Furtick called My Future is My Focus. Joseph’s story is, of course, epic in the Bible. His life took so many twists and turns his story could have easily been made into a daytime soap opera. But each time he seemed to get knocked down, or out, he kept moving forward and making the best of every situation. He kept his focus on his future – he didn’t lose himself in past intentional or unintentional damage from others.
In my mind I hear him speaking to himself, “Ooof – well that was not what I planned. Time to shake off the dust and focus on the moment at hand.” I admire him for speaking that way to himself and for trusting that all was going to work out even when, especially when, it looked bleak at the moment and the end appeared imminent. Most of all I admire him for maintaining his forward movement and with a seemingly positive attitude no less!
I don’t think I am out of line saying we all have that capability within ourselves. Some of us, myself included, may have to dig deeper to “activate the shake” but each of us is fully capable of it. The key is knowing ourselves, knowing our inherent self worth and knowing that following the passions set deep inside our hearts is the light to each of our paths.
For me, that means getting off center (also known as off-keister). It means I need to stop standing in my own way and that I need to follow what I love doing because that is where true life is found. To remind myself of what that is for me I have recently decided to read and declare My Personal Creed out loud on a nearly daily basis. I will share it at the end of this Blog so you can read it too.
What does moving ahead look like to you? Perhaps a job or career change? Perhaps going somewhere new? Perhaps NOT going somewhere you always go? It could mean any number of things to you, but I encourage you that whatever it means to you take one small step moving in that direction today. Don’t wait for tomorrow, do it today. It doesn’t have to be earth shaking, it just has to help you activate the shake to start moving in the direction your heart and soul have been pointing you. Be like Grace and Follow Your Passion! Life, Love and Laughter is waiting for you there, I guarantee it!
Here is My Personal Creed – This is how I am reminding myself – every day – of what I was made to do:
I carry incredible Joy that gives me deep strength and emits from me with atmosphere exploding power. I feel God’s overwhelming and unconditional love for every single person and I will never stop fighting for it, regardless of the cost. His love ignites a fire in my belly to remove stones of religion and encourage all to rise to a higher level by falling deeper in love with Jesus. Divine Sunshine saturates me and empowers me to strike out with lightning boldness when necessary. This brilliant light I possess allows me to say things other people won’t and my unique delivery style destroys walls and releases breakthrough by using humor to disarm, then reframe old thinking patterns. My Warrior heart has conquered hell and set an intense desire within me to lead others to veracious freedom by slaying bogus beliefs and choosing to walk with Mr. Truth Himself. I refuse to stand idly by to witness the distortion of God’s character and destruction of His beloved children so I will weaponize my depth of empathy and strong discernment to help others grow into, and fall in love with, who Jesus says they are in Him. I am a Mouthpiece created to empower others and infuse them with a boldness for Jesus and His heart. It’s time to Rise Up and let Love’s Lightning Strike!
PamelaInTraining 