Passion

I realize that what I value in myself and what I am drawn to in others is passion --  Passion, intent, and the ability to be honest and vulnerable about that passion and intent. Feel life intensely, love something or someone, and be real about it. I don't care what you're into, as long as you're into something. And tell me all about it. Because I will love hearing about what you love.

Without passion, how will any of us ever become what we want to be and do what we want to do? What will move us? If we sit here and try to visualize where it is we want to go, we need to know where we're going and we need to know how. And if we don't know how and we don't know the specifics, then we better sure as hell have drive. We need to have a strong will and an even stronger stomach for risk.

I believe that so many things are gathering steam professionally and personally for me. I am perched on a very steep precipice and, in a matter of weeks or maybe even days, I'm going to have the choice to jump or not. And jump I will.

Because, as the Dalai Lama once wrote, "Great love and great achievements involve great risk." This is one of S's favorite quotations. She is so smart. And she is strong and loves the richness of life - its joys, its pleasures, and its pain as well. I had the great honor and privilege of being a bridesmaid in her wedding. As the photographer took photos of the wedding party before the ceremony and the rabbi spoke beautiful and true words during the Ketubah signing, I looked at her and her husband. The words they spoke to each other were beautiful and true too. What I will never forget: How many times she said, "I love you." Weddings are obviously all about love. They are predicated on love. But weddings are also busy and crazy and wild and that simple truth is often lost. Whether consciously or unconsciously, S took the time to crystallize and communicate why she was there and what she felt. I have such admiration for that honesty and for what they have built together. There was risk involved and they took the risk. And then we all had the chance to witness their great love.

There are so many kinds of love. Romantic love, friendships, family ties... and then there are also the things we do and care about, there are the professional goals, there are the reasons why we get out of bed. But doesn't it all come down to having fire in your belly, feeling the fire, and living out the fire?