Finding Your Passion

Recently, I had a lovely patient who I had the privilege to take care of for a couple of days. The hospital has been crazy busy since the first of the year and it feels like the patients have been REALLY sick. I know...they are in the hospital, of course they aren't well. But sometimes you go through phases where the general needs are even greater than usual. The last month or so has felt harder - and it isn't just my post Christmas sugar slump.

The aforementioned (great word that I never get to use)  patient was a delight - positive, kind and thoughtful. His needs weren't great but he seemed to appreciate the company whenever I would check in. I learned he enjoys woodworking in his spare time and we talked about his latest projects. I am not a woodworker myself but I have spent hundreds of dollars on tools and have been in Woodcraft more than most. I like to consider myself an honorary woodworker considering the amount of time Michael has spent in the shop. He might beg to differ since I don't often pick up a tool.

This gentleman's entire face lit up every time he talked about his projects. He LOVES woodworking. Maybe even as much as Michael. It was such a joy to talk to him about his passion. I love discovering what excites a person even if I don't share the same passion. Finding your thing is a big deal. For some people it is more than one thing. I can pretty passionately talk about nursing and coffee. I love both but won't admit which one more.

I was able to walk a few holes at a tournament this week with my kids' fun and super hardworking golf coach. He was telling me that although he loves playing golf, it is more rewarding for him to walk alongside the kids and support them while they play. He even got a little emotional talking about how excited he was for that tournament and seeing the kids out on the course for the first time in 2016. I am pretty certain that talking about golf has NEVER brought me to tears - unless you count the times when I was trying to play golf with Mason. But, HOW COOL that his coach has found his passion and it shows. How many people figure out what makes them passionate and then get to do it regularly? I mean, I get to drink coffee all the time but it took me until my 30's to figure out I was meant to be a nurse.

I think of my friends that are artists...Some of them have figured out a way to make a living practicing their art and some have incorporated art as a hobby. Either way, how impressive that they are making time for something they love. I can draw stick figures and my knowledge of art is limited. That's okay. Art is not what I am passionate about and I don't see that changing in the near future but I am so glad the artists are creating! I get to benefit from their passion.

This is what I hope for my kids. I hope they find their passion. For now, Mason's is golf. He likes other things too but the thing that he gets "jump up and down" excited about? Golf. He's always ready to play a round, doesn't complain about going and can talk about shots he made three years ago. If this continues to be his passion, I hope he either really does make it professionally (his dream) or at least figures out how to incorporate it in his every day life. We need things we are passionate about and we need to be encouraged to pursue them.

Audrey has a multitude of passions at the moment including the dog, her friends and, until about a week ago, One Direction (the breakup is still too fresh to talk about). I am not sure if she will find one thing that really gets her excited in the future or if it will be a multitude of things. Whatever it is, I hope I can encourage her in it. For now, I will go to work this weekend engaging in both of my passions simultaneously and try to discover what makes those around me tick.