The other day I was teaching
words to a student and he asked me what Passion meant?
For a moment I was baffled …I didn’t know how
to explain a word and believe you me, it rarely happens. How do you explain
passion, a word that has so much emotion attached to it? The intensity cannot
be explained. I then told him that it was an abstract noun like love or hate
for that matter but it signified more intense feeling. Lust is also a passion
for that matter
Passion is one’s ardour or desire
for someone. Let’s first deconstruct this myth that in coveting that person we love
him or her, instead we tend to objectify that individual and from there stems
my dislike for this kind of passion. Having exercised the same when young I realized
that it was disastrous; disastrous not only to the relationship but also to one’s
own self worth. Not only does it take
away the other person’s freedom and sense of individuality but also it makes
you dependent and less ambitious. So this one has to be kept in check, the
passion I feel should be directed to the relationship, keeping it alive and
interesting and not towards the person.
Passion for things material is still
more destructive; it puts you into harness and never lets you relax. The mad
fury for money and things it can buy drives you into a pursuit which leaves you
burnt out and empty. In order to pursue the ‘good things in life’ or rather the
best things in life one first ignores and then forgets the simple pleasures of
life. We ignore our parents, friends, spouse and children in this mad rat-race
and by the time we realize that it was all futile, its too late. Passion for your work and
ambition is natural and appreciable too; but the mad rush and greed is ignoble
and avoidable too. I was exposed to this kind of cut-throat competitive world
in the B-school. That I was appalled would be putting it too mildly, I was flummoxed
, felt out of place and miserable and realized very early on that I would never
succeed in the man-eat-man business world.
Another kind of passion is your
passion for the finer joys of life, reading, music, meditation, dance, sport, painting,
sculpting and much more. This passion can be enjoyed unbridled. It brings you
satisfaction and pleasure. It keeps you calm and gives your natural abilities
and charm a fillip. Ask a painter how he loves to see his hands covered with
paint blotches, a sculptor who loves the aroma of wet mud or a book lover who
touches the yellowed pages of an old book with tender love and care. Blessed
are those who can find a vocation in their suchlike passions. Their paintings come alive, their sculptures speak and their books are their friends.
I find
myself fortunate to be able to direct my passion to my work. It made me consider
my life-partner his own individual self with his own pursuits and interests.
Also I found satisfaction and pleasure though not too much money in writing,
reading and teaching. It gave a certain meaning to my life and I a degree of
satisfaction which I am sure I could never have achieved in any other walk of
life. Any attempt to deviate still falls flat.
I gained peace and calm and now am heading towards a more spiritual and an easy to live in world.
