A Love of Your Own

Writing a Book is NO BIG DEAL! – It's the Passion…

I wish I could link to the post that inspired this post, but I've looked and looked and can't find it. I believe a SHE Writes writer wrote it, but don't hold me to this, I'm not sure. What I am sure of is the content. The author of the post was asking if writing a book was for her. She tried and tried but just couldn't get into it. I shook my head as I read. It was a beautiful post, and I wanted to reply, but closed out thinking I'd link to the post later; to cite here.

Writing a book really is no big deal, like thousands of other endeavors I can think of; it's the passion behind the work.

I know someone who can drive a truck like nobody's business. And I'm talking one of those big 18-wheeler semis'. Ever since he was a little boy all he wanted to do was drive trucks. In a talent show when all of the contestants were asked what we wanted to be when we grew up, he said he wanted to drive trucks. A parent sighed deeply, and laughed, and then said, "awl you don't want to do that..." I still remember; the comment and attitude pissed me off. Driving trucks was in his heart, it was his passion, and today it's exactly what he does—passionately…and extremely, extremely well. It brings chills to me when I think of it, because he stuck with his passion from a kid, all through school driving across country with his uncles, for the Marines, and right until today, winning all kinds of awards for his truck driving skill.

I know of someone else who can decorate a home, and let's say…litigate…like no one's business. There's another someone who can design and illustrate…the technical and very finite details of engines, in cars, helicopters, and airplanes. I know there are those as well who are passionate about teaching, or welding, or engineering things like houses. There are doctors, painters, orators, counselors, administrators, housewives, ministers, pilots…you name it…who deeply love and are passionate about what they do.

There was another someone who I watched in awe draw a beautiful cartoon while we were sitting in a conference, because, I guess, he was a little bored. For me, it was amazing to see this drawing sort of magically appear beneath his hand as he moved it. You should see me when I get to drawing, just in case you can't tell; for crying out loud laughing. My drawings do eventually appear, just not as magically.

I think of entertainers, and good gosh, all the singers; seeing them on stages working their magic, creating all of that star dust, and it just fills me up. Many times over I wished that could be me. And not for the popularity, or fame, or money (which many really aren't making like most might assume), but just to be able to create a sound up from my soul, that might pass on that feeling I feel, to someone else.

But guess what?

I know that if we all look deep inside ourselves, there is this same passion, something we really care about, that if we stopped looking at what everyone else is doing, and following trends, we'd find our passion and do it just as well. I might not be a singer, but I know I can write my you know what off. Well, wait… that might be going a little overboard. I've tried many ways to lose a little poundage there and…well… oh well, anyway, you must get my point.

I'm glad I didn't respond to that post because as you can see, I had a lot to write. Plus, I wouldn't want to be the influence to tell anyone what his or her passion is. We must define it for ourselves.