A magazine article intrigued me a few years ago. It dealt with passion in our lives, and how much more exciting our lives can be if we have some passion in them. This was a women's magazine and I immediately matched up the word passion with sex. I read on, and I found that the passion they were talking about was about life itself and having lots of interests that a lady can be passionate about. The article had a contest connected with it, and women were to tell about their passions in life and how their passions have made their lives better. There was a wonderful prize for the woman with the best story. The article went on to talk about the excitement passion can bring whether a woman is excited about her job, her family, her church, her tennis game or whatever. I came close to entering this contest at the time, but one of my passions was not writing as it is now, and I was too lazy at the time. I did have fun thinking about my passions in life, and I had fun reading the winning article and runners-up articles way back then.
I forgot about the article until a few days ago when I was at my local health club. I have attended this club for six years now. I stood by it when a fire burned away eighty per cent of it, and we had to ride our stationary bikes in a backroom. When I was totally retired last year, I visited my club three days a week and played tennis, lifted weights in a class with friends and did yoga and drank beer afterwards on Monday nights. Now that I am working again, I have had to quit my club and be away from home and I miss it. I have a temporary membership for the month, and I slipped into the pool to take a swim when I started thinking of how I appreciated the wonderful sparkling warm pool, the sunlight streaming in the windows and the feel of the water encompassing my body. All of a sudden, I realized how passionate I am about water. I also realized that I am passionate about working out. As I swam for the next half hour, I counted my passions like counting my blessings. I came to the realization that my life is exciting because of my passions, and how being excited about life is a good place to be, especially since I am a single person. I am not waiting for someone else to make my life complete. That is my job and mine alone.
Take some time to think of your passions, and list them in no order. Be aware as you go through your daily life and add to your list as you remember more of your passions. They keep you alive, vital and interesting. Any new passions you want to add to the list? Why not? Just look around and dream.
Think of the happiest, most content people you know. Do they have passions in life? I would venture to say that the most passionate people are the happiest people.
One of my lifelong friends has been through a painful divorce. For awhile, Leslie did the painful one step at a time, one foot after another. She cried, lost weight, took antidepressants and thought she would never go on. Being a thirty five year marriage, time was needed to get over this pain, and now that two years have passed, my friend is back. Talk about passions! As we grew up, she was always excited about her life and had lots of interests which she put on hold for awhile. I was so astounded to be with her as she rented a home in Key West , Florida and I visited her. Her real passion is for water and she capitalized on that by renting a home on the water and buying a kayak for the adventure. Everyday she paddles across the bay to an island and paddles back. Over and over, I heard her repeat what a gorgeous day it was today, everyday. She was passionate about her daily bike ride, finding old bottles to dispose of to clear the environment, and walking through the water finding shells. Leslie is not afraid to share her passion for food, drink and friends too. She laughs in joy all of the time. Her main passion in Florida is her Harley which she rides constantly. When home, she is passionate about her children and grandchildren and sees them daily. She loves the warmth of Florida , but spills her happiness back into her home in Michigan as she clears the driveway of snow.
I do not think passions count if you do not fully partake of them. If your passion is travel and you have not been anywhere in a few years, you are not making it happen and the passion is not a driving force for you. You have to make a way to have your passions be fulfilled.
As we age, I think what we look for in friends and partners is companionship and activities or passions we share. Our doors are more open to great relationships if we have more passions.
That is not even to mention all of the fun in life we can have, and when we are experiencing good times, we forget about our problems and stay younger looking, acting and feeling. We can join groups based on our passions and definitely have something to talk about that is positive. Our local ski club is for singles or marrieds, young or old. The great part is the activity roster. There is an activity for every person from sitting and playing cards to actively skiing in Switzerland . Some cost money and others are free. You don't have to have money for your passions. Just choose them according to who you are.
When I was first divorced, a great couple I knew bought me a poster for a gift and I will never forget it as I placed it on my refrigerator immediately. There was a windsurfer sailing on the waves and the caption said, "Take the time to do the things that really make you happy." I loved that poster because at the time I loved windsurfing. I had hoped to buy a windsurfer shortly before my divorce, since I had just learned to do it and love it. With a shortage of money and time, that dream had died for me. I was sad, but I knew I had other passions that I could afford: enjoying our pool and the nearby Lake Michigan , buying a new bike for exercise and fun and in the winter continuing skiing with my children. I had a passion for being with my children and the special education children I worked with in my school. I was very mindful of the fact that the time to enjoy and be is now and not to put off exploring passions and living everyday to the fullest.
The excitement you feel about life is contagious if you are positive. Take the time to do the things that really make you happy. Sure, some of them may be more fun with a partner, but do not waste your time putting off the fun and excitement you can have alone or with your friends. Partners can come as we least expect it.
Maybe your passions have changed over the years, and that is fine. I have gone through times in my life where one experience was great for me and then I had to let it go. Keep vital and changing if you have to, but keep living. It is all part of growing up single.
Diane Willbrandt, BS, MA+30 is a retired elementary teacher living in the Midwest. Upon retirement, Diane is having fun searching new avenues. The first is in webmarketing. She has created the sites: http://www.spiritenergyhealers.com for her friends' businesses in holistic healing and http://www.equippedtogo.com filled with great luggage, handbags, and laptop bags fit for great travel which Diane loves to do. She is also working on writing her first book about being single and loving the challenge. Diane golfs, skis, travels, plays tennis, works out and reads.
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