A Word on Being 'Passionate'.

*Warning*

Intended sarcasm (and some cynicism) ahead. Proceed at your discretion.

How often have you heard people gushing about how 'passionate' they are about something? I'm sure you hear it quite a lot. Sometimes to the point where you can't help but wonder about the reasons why everyone else seems to be so very passionate, except yourself. You might have even wondered whether you apparent deficiency of it makes you a cold-hearted machine that simply can't feel the passion that apparently comes so naturally to everyone else. 

My guess? Well, its either a) these people really do have so much emotional and physical energy to pump into their multiple passions, or b) they just want to fill a void in their sense of worth by faking it.

Oh well, maybe I'm being a little harsh here. There is a third possibility: people use the word 'passion' in a very loose way. They use it to describe almost anything that makes them excited. They have either not given it proper thought, or worse, don't even care to, to differentiate simply what excites them from their other sincere interests that truly run deep. 

I think that's the one that's more likely than anything else.

This kind abuse of the word is often annoying, and sometimes even disturbing to me. Too many people around you and on your favorite social networking site swear by their "passions", often posting selfies to prove their love for whatever their object of infatuation is. Travel, hiking, camping, and (*gasp*) photography! You identify the list?

Taking a few little trips a year, camping maybe once a lifetime, and shooting some pretty flowers without any serious thought, do not count as passions, atleast not in my book.

A passion is deep.

Consider this example:

A person who travels to places all alone, with his not-so-fancy camera, spends time reading about photography and far more time actually going out there trying to apply what he learnt, honing his skill, improving his 'eye' for detail, colour, light, and much more, just *might* (and I emphasize might) be on his way to discover if photography really is his 'passion'. That is how deep it goes. Shooting a few macros and turning you camera setting to BW alone does not give you any bragging rights. 

While I'm sure all this doesn't apply to everyone out there, I still think it's a safe generalization. Your opinion may vary, so take mine with the tiniest grain of salt. That said, I'm sure you've seen and known plenty of people who abuse this word so ruthlessly, and so got my drift by now.

There is nothing wrong with being passionate, or even having more than one at the same time. Be passionate about whatever it is you truly want to be passionate about. But things that just give you a momentary high and nothing more don't deserve to be listed as your passions. You true passions are sacred, and should be treated as such, with due respect. 
By all means, follow your passions; they make live worth living; but pause a moment before you label every 'cool' thing as your (or others') passion. 

Want to know what my passions are? Or would you like me to elaborate on something I just said? Well, I'll be happy to tell. Just leave a comment here to ask. :-)

Peace!

Aashish.