Passion

The fountains mingle with the river
And the rivers with the Ocean,
The winds of Heaven mix for ever
With a sweet emotion;
Nothing in the world is single;
All things by a law divine
in one spirit meet and mingle.
Why not I with thine?-

Percy Bysshe Shelley (17892 - 1822)

Ah passion. We eat it, sleep it and drink it. Every thought we have includes a morsel of passion. When we are in love more than any other time do we feel this sense of ecstasy and bliss. It is the commingling of hearts and minds that produce these feelings. If only we could feel that bliss every moment of every day.

The fact is we can. Passion resides not only between two lovers but between ourselves and the world around us. Feeling sheer passion is allowing your heart and mind to be open and free in order to experience your own unique creative talents. When you are doing what you love to do just as when you are in love it seems that the world stands still and you are focused on that one activity.

I know I feel that passion when I am writing or listening to music. It’s what gets the juices flowing that your passion is born from within. I’ve seen it and I’ve felt it so I know it can be done.

Here are a few suggestions:

1. When you feel passionate about someone or something, show it. Allow yourself to bask in the passion you feel.

2. Keep a journal. Write about your passions whether it be music, art or simply working in your garden, jot down your thoughts and how you feel while experiencing your passion.

3. Tell those you love how you feel about them. We sometimes either forget or don’t do this for fear of rejection or feeling silly. Don’t allow your inner critic which comes from your ego to stop you from showing love.

4. Read poetry. Even if you’ve never read poetry or don’t even like poetry, read the romantics and try to equate your feelings with that of the poet. Or, read a romance novel - that will certainly get the juices flowing.