Something So Beautiful: Passions

There is something so beautiful about people and their passions. Those talents and loves that individuals possess are some of the things that make them the most striking in contrast with one another. Your passions are the things that make you a standout. They make you wonderful. They make you more alive.

Listening to people talk about things that they are passionate about is fascinating. Or rather, watching people talk about things they are passionate about is fascinating. Their eyes light up. Their heartbeat becomes quicker and occasionally skips like an old, well-worn Van Halen record. Their words spill out faster and trip over each other and get jumbled up and meshed together because they are just so excited that they can't possibly formulate grammatically correct sentences. They stop caring if you're actually listening to them, and sometimes forget you are there. All that they can focus on is this thing that is on their mind, this one, wild, random thing that most people mistake for ordinary.

Baseball statistics.

Middle-Eastern foreign affairs.

A seven-hundred-and-three page Russian novel by an author whose last name is impossible for you to pronounce.

It doesn't matter what it is or even if you care at all. They rant and ramble and run-on until some sharp slap of reality reminds them that they have been going on for twenty minutes and they stop because they don't want to be rude. But you wish they wouldn't. Because when people talk about things they are passionate about they sparkle.

Watching people do the things they love is just as fantastic. They lose themselves in their craft - almost become one with it. And when they are ink-stained or paint-splattered or brain-dead because they have devoted everything to their passion, they rise up and look at you with that silly five-year-old-esque grin that says, "Look!"

"Look what I made!"

"Look what I did!"

"Look what I created!"

"Isn't it beautiful?"

And you have no choice but to smile, laugh, and nod your head yes. Because you know that encouraging passions is the best way to bring light into the world.

Whether you are a sculptor or a wide-receiver, a composer or an engineer, a thespian or an equestrian, your passions make our temporary home so much brighter, so much happier. And so much more beautiful.

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I think this post is a good way to round out the Something So Beautiful mini-series. Thank you all so very much for embarking with me on this journey! I may occasionally post more under this category so keep an eye out.

Cheers!