“Passion can be defined as the deep response of the soul to life: the freedom to rejoice and to weep. One of the most difficult commands to fulfill is to ‘weep with those who weep and rejoice with those who rejoice’ (Romans 12:15).”- Dan Allender:Wounded Heart

As I am learning to become a counselor, part of what I am praying for God to do in my heart is to make me more interested in another person’s story; that I would learn to ask better questions, and genuinely care about the answers that are spoken. It’s sad that care and interest doesn’t come natural to me, and that I care so much about what I am saying, but not about what someone is telling me.

I was sitting in the coffee shop this morning, curious as to how one of our “regulars” in the shop became passionate about what he does. I wondered “is there a story behind his interest in teaching music?” I then began to think of my passions, and wondered if there was a story behind any of the things that I love. As you could have probably guessed, I am passionate about a few things: music, coffee, and people. And though I can’t think of a story of how I became a “people person”, my other passion stories revolve around people…

I remember when my dad bought a Sigma Martin acoustic guitar when I was 8 or 9 years old. He was determined to learn how to play it after the music store guy promised that after a few lessons and some practice he would be the next Bob Dylan. After maybe one lesson, and learning how to play the classic “hot cross buns”, I don’t think I ever saw him play the guitar again. For this, I am thankful. For ten years, that guitar sat in our basement and when I was 18 years old [and still trying hard to impress the ladies], I decided it was my turn at the Sigma Martin, and thus embarked on my music journey. I dusted off the old guitar case and took it into my room. Sure, I sucked when I tried to learn “hot cross buns” as well, but for some reason I didn’t mind sucking. I wrote a couple of songs [two horrible songs..probably about girls and how I couldn't get one] before my freshman year of college, and playing guitar became one of my greatest passions. Each year, I have come to love the Sigma Martin more and more..and each year, I have come to love music more and more. I may never be the next Bob Dylan, but with each new song, I have the story of how I started, and I have the stories that I am writing.

So how do we become passionate? How do we care about something, or someone, so much that is becomes a passion?

I wonder if we become passionate when we begin to see someone else’s passion. I wonder if we love something, because we see someone else love something (reminds me of the Donald Miller quote below). Here’s to coffee shops and guitars!

“I never liked jazz music… because jazz music doesn’t resolve. But I was outside the Bagdad Theater in Portland one night when I saw a man playing the saxophone. I stood there for fifteen minutes, and he never opened his eyes.

After that, I liked jazz music.
Sometimes you have to watch someone love something before you can love it yourself. It is as if they are showing you the way.”- Donald Miller: Blue Like Jazz

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