A Life of Purpose and Passion: Misconception #1

{Photo found via Pinterest.}

This week, I am doing a series on the Top 5 Misconceptions about a Life of Purpose and Passion.

Misconception #1: Passionate people are angry (and that's always a bad thing.)

For many years I lived in an area of New York City known for its peaceful, yet sometimes robust, protests. The attendees were driven by their belief that change is important, and gather to make their voices heard. I've been at church meetings and political meetings where there is a proposed change, and individuals on both sides take the floor to voice their concerns. We've all seen, and perhaps been involved in, larger displays of national passion. What was the Arab Spring about, if not passion for a better future?

Every time I see that type of passion, I think, at least they care. Yes, sometimes they become angry. The struggle with passion lies in its relationship to both love and anger. Something that starts in love can easily cross the line into anger. Sometimes it's difficult to discern where one ends and the other begins, yet somewhere, embedded in an angry passion, is love.

Even in anger, passionate people care enough to show up and do something and fight for what they want. Even as one or both sides may become angry, they are deeply invested in the outcome. Passionate people are involved in their communities and in the lives of the people around them. 

Over the long term, apathy is much worse than passion gone awry. Apathy leads to bored people in declining communities, devoid of innovation, losing hope.

Sometimes passion stays in the realm of loving commitment. There is passion behind every person who quietly creates change in his or her community, even when it never makes the news. There is passion driving people who launch a new program, raise money for a charity, or spread awareness about an issue. There is a more celebrated passion among Olympic athletes, software developers, and novelists.


In some circles, grand displays of emotion, both positive and negative, are generally frowned upon. People are uncomfortable with passion on either end of the spectrum. Things still get done, but in a much different way. However, we must not forget the quiet passion of a mother who goes the extra mile for her child. There is passion driving the ladies who make quilts to send overseas and the local grocer who takes pride in keeping his store clean every single day.

And I hope there is passion driving you.

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