someone showed me a passage out of a book today that i'd like to finish reading. it's from the prophet by kahlil gibran. from chapter 15, on reason and passion:
And he answered saying:
Your reason and your passion are the rudder and the sails of your seafaring soul. If either your sails or your rudder be broken, you can but toss and drift, or else be held at a standstill in mid-seas. For reason, ruling alone, is a force confining; and passion, unattended, is a flame that burns to its own destruction.
Therefore let your soul exalt your reason to the height of passion; that it may sing; And let it direct your passion with reason, that your passion may live through its own daily resurrection, and like the phoenix rise above its own ashes...
Among the hills, when you sit in the cool shade of the white poplars, sharing the peace and serenity of distant fields and meadows - then let your heart say in silence, "God rests in reason." And when the storm comes, and the mighty wind shakes the forest, and thunder and lightning proclaim the majesty of the sky, - then let your heart say in awe, "God moves in passion."
And since you are a breath in God's sphere, and a leaf in God's forest, you too should rest in reason and move in passion.
i think i've lost my passion.
1 comment:
Ab-
Real passion comes from inside of you, not outside. While conversations, challenging questions, ideas, etc. can SPUR your passion and can stoke the fire, the fire - the passion - must come from inside.
I'm sure you miss friends and deep conversations; I'm sure you miss being challenged in who you are and growing from that challenge. Those things come from time and transparency - two things that can never be gained overnight. However, in place of these things, you have a whole new set of blessings and challenges, some of which you see, and others of which you'll never see until they are gone. One of these isn't better than the other - rather, they are separate and wonderful, both given for the right time. As Solomon said, "there is a time for every purpose under heaven." (or was that the Byrds? I always forget...) :)
You are there now, and many of us (Amanda and I included!) miss you terribly! However, don't miss the opportunities to have passion developed and spurred in your through all that is there now. The passion that was there before - it's still there. It just needs some stoking. Can Kalil Gibran do it? Maybe. (Passions have been stoked by much worse art - see the annual Creation Festival as exhibit A in that one...) But don't miss the fact that a three year old can do it as well - Ethan stokes my passions sometimes moment by moment! (For better AND for worse!) And by the nature around you, the simple pleasures of the day, smells, friends, and a nice cup of tea. Your passion isn't gone - it's not lost - it just needs a little attention.
We love you, Ab!
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