Passion

Because Grayson was born screaming his head off, and then he didn't really stop for like, two months, I've often felt like I had the "scary" or "bad" baby that people dread. But since I am all wrapped up in mama love and I feel as if he's a perfect angel, I couldn't ever really say that he was anything other than amazing. But I mean....anyone that spent any time with us in the early days knew he was a bit of a challenge. I decided rather than saying that he was colicky, which I think is what people say about "his type" usually, or that he was a difficult baby, I would say that he was passionate. I've been calling him passionate since he was just a few weeks old, and I don't know if it was one of those self-fulfilling prophecy kind of things or what, but good lordy lord, that child is nothing if not passionate.

It's funny, because the things that drive you crazy in others are often qualities that you yourself have, and I have to say...he comes by it honestly. I am passionate, no doubt about it, and it can be both a blessing and a curse. I think if your passion is embraced and understood, it can be a beautiful thing. It can lead to great success, it can draw people to you, it can give you that spark that other people wish they had. But at the same time, it can distract you if you let it, because it's easy to feel passionate about multiple things - speaking from experience here.

When I think of my passionate baby, who's turned into my passionate toddler, I wonder what he'll be like in a few years, in 10 years, as an adult. I hope he embraces that passion that he feels and makes something amazing happen with his life. I hope that I can teach him to use it for the gift that it is. I hope that we raise him to be passionate about the right things, to embrace whatever it is that really pulls at him, and to never give up if he really wants something.

Over the last 30 years I've learned a lot about living with the passionate streak that I have. I've learned that not everyone understands why I feel so strongly about things. I've learned that this passion also tends to lead to a quick temper, and that is a struggle I still deal with. I've learned that it's important to focus, to choose something to pursue, because it's so easy to feel passionate about every aspect of your life. It's my hope that I can pass these lessons on to Grayson, and any other future passionate babies that I may have, and that they won't have to learn it all the hard way.

What about you? What are you passionate about? Do you have one "great love" of a passion that you pursue endlessly, or are you more like me, and you tend to feel all the feels about every thing that goes on in your life?