Finding a Passion

I'm not afraid to admit that I absolutely love tattoos. They're not as taboo as they used to be, but rather are becoming quite common place. One might think, "well, why get one if they're so common?" I'm not suggesting we all run out and get dolphins on our ankles or "mom" in a heart on our forearms. I love tattoos because it's an opportunity for expression and uniqueness.  If you have a vision and either yourself or someone you know can draw it out for you, you can create something that will capture a moment in time on your body forever. If your moment is a purple smurf, well, that's totally up to you. My most recent "moment," which sadly was almost 2 years ago, was a phrase that is incredibly important to me.


I've always been fond of the aesthetics of the Arabic language. No, I may not be able to speak it, but when written I feel it's truly beautiful. I decided to have the phrase "live with passion" tattooed vertically down the right side of my ribs in Arabic. In my opinion, which is all that matters in this situation, it's stunning and inspiring. Not just the tattoo itself, but the message.


Finding something to be passionate about, and living it, will make one's life rich and rewarding. In my opinion, too many people go about their days miserable with the paths they've chosen. They do what they do to get by, often without any desire, drive, or even interest. This can apply to both personal and professional situations, and it saddens me. So I've given myself a constant reminder that I should live passionately. That I should love what I do and do it for a purpose. Whether your passion is helping the unfortunate, adopting pets, raising your family, providing health care to the elderly... it's important and worthwhile if you feel you're doing the right thing and enjoy it. It's living with purpose, passion, integrity, and a strong sense of self that will bring you joy and make your life richer. Even if you're collecting a measly paycheck while doing it.


My passion has always been education. If I could  afford it, I'd be a full-time, life-long student. I loved undergrad and I loved grad school. I can't wait for the day to go back and get my PhD. I've learned more in my Liberal Arts studies that, though it may be difficult to apply in the "real world," have made me much more open-minded, smart, and comprehensive.  A liberal arts education isn't a specific discipline that you master. It's a way of thinking, a way of learning, a hunger for taking it all in, analyzing it, discussing it, writing about it, addressing problems, and coming up with solutions. I often have a hard time defining it, so I'll give you the Webster's definition: The academic course of instruction at a college intended to provide general knowledge and comprising the arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences, as opposed to professional or technical subjects.


Basically, we do a lot of thinking. And I can honestly say that my liberal arts education has made my life better. It's because of this that I dream of teaching at the university level. I'm most qualified to teach Sociology, Anthropology of Media, and Women's Studies. It would be incredible to have a classroom full of students, eager to be there and learn, and provide them with materials to evaluate aspects of life, gender, religion, etc. that they never would have otherwise known. To tackle issues, open their minds, encourage debates, and have meaningful lectures. This is my dream, my passion, and one day I will get there.


Along the way, I'll find other things to be passionate about. Raising a healthy child, if I'm blessed with one, will undoubtedly top my list. Perhaps starting a business that will benefit my community in some way...who knows? The most important thing, I must stress, is that there's conviction and purpose behind what I do. 


Finding a passion is something we all should face. It's this stage in our lives when we're evaluating what has true meaning to us. Have you found your passion?