The Ruminator

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Sunday, January 16, 2005

It's all about the passion

Ever since a friend’s party on Saturday (fun party by the way, thanks!) I’ve had this niggling doubt about a question someone asked me that night. As an alternative to the usual, ‘so what do you do?’, someone I was introduced to asked me what I was passionate about. Or alternately, if the host were asked to describe or define me, what would I want her to say?

And I just don’t know.

The question was phrased to avoid the assumption that a person defines themselves by their job, which I think is good. For some people their job is a key part of their identity, but I really don’t think the fact that I’m a public servant gives you a key indicator as to who I am as a person. I really hope not. I mean, I enjoy my job, I think there’s meaning in what I do, but it’s not who I am.

Who am I? I’ll be 28 next month and I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up. Does anyone?

I don’t have an activity outside of work I’m particularly passionate about. I’m not writing a novel, or working with the homeless, or learning how to hang-glide. I’m enjoying learning Latin dancing, I do a lot of things I think are fun, but I don’t have a burning passion for one particular thing.

I don’t know if this should disturb me. Does a person need to do something that defines them? If you asked me what I wanted to be doing with my weekend I would probably say ‘spending time with my friends’. Is that a bit aimless? Or maybe it just means that what I’m really passionate about are my friends and family. And if what defines us is the way we interact with other people, maybe that’s OK.

4 Comments:

  • At 2:53 pm, Blogger Jasmine said…

    Having obsessions can make life more fun, as long as they are not unhealthy obsessions! If ever anyone asks me what I'm interested in or passionate about I say rubik's cubes, cats and iPAQs - in no particular order. :)

     
  • At 2:54 pm, Blogger Jasmine said…

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

     
  • At 2:57 pm, Blogger Jasmine said…

    Dearie me, my previous comment posted twice!

     
  • At 3:35 pm, Blogger Doug said…

    It's funny, I often get from people contemplating graduate study comments like "Well, obviously, you're passionate about your research, but I don't know I have it in me ... " Strangely, I'm not sure I am passionate about my research. I really like academic life, and while I might concievably be passionate about international law in the abstract, the day-to-day I enjoy but don't burst with passion over.

    Being passionate about living a good life (friends and family) seems a fine place at which to be.

     

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