Passion

As I flew home from London this past afternoon, I watched Fever Pitch for the third time. If you haven't seen it, the movie profiles a Boston school teacher who has to juggle his obsession with the Sox and his girlfriend. The movie is fun and I really don't think it was ever meant to be taken to seriously. However, there is one scene that really got me thinking.

Jimmy Fallon's character is arguing with Drew Barrymore over his obsession with the Sox. She claims that baseball is only a game and that he needs to start reordering his priorities. Fallon responds, "Do you still care about anything you cared about 23 years ago?" This line really stuck with me. Fallon's character is incredibly passionate about the Sox and he has been for years. While this passion may seem childish, it is important to him.

I began to think about my life and I wondered do I still care about anything that I did 15 years ago? Of course the obvious answers surfaced, like my family. Yet, I don't care about Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles anymore, nor do I care about the Boxcar Children. Though I have developed new passions, that are just as or even more important to me today, than those childish "passions" were at the time. Just because I haven't been passionate about something for ever doesn't mean that it isn't important to me. While I think longevity plays a role, passion can surround both the new and the old. For example, take the people that we meet. I am lucky to be able to say that some of my best friends are guys that I met many years ago. On the other hand, I am just as lucky to be able to say that I have very recently met people who have made a permanent impact on my life. I guess life just works that way. Hopefully the path I take in life will lead me to new people and new things that will inspire passion....