I believe passion is the strongest force on earth. I equate passions with dreams and as the famous Flashdance movie quote goes, “When you give up your dream..you die” We’ve all heard about the crime of passion, the passion of christ, passionate love affairs, and activists who are so passionate about their cause that they will do and say things they normally wouldn’t. I’m an extremely passionate person, not just sexually but ethically. I used to be anyway.
I was obsessed with the Palestinian/Israeli atrocities committed and funded by our own country which drove me insane and filled me with so much anger and sadness I had to give up on it knowing I have absolutely no control other than exposing the crimes to which nobody even cares or believes especially if they’re the typical brainwashed Evangelical American Christian. (That of course led to my studies into Native American Genocide and Manifest Destiny.)
I then became passionate about Intactivism and America’s other dirty little secret. Circumcision, AKA Male Genital Mutilation. I said things that I normally would never say out of extreme passion for the rights of boys and men, as well as my extreme regret and guilt for having it done to my son. I also had to back away from intactivism. It caused me to lose my job (which is a blessing) and hurt a lot of people with words.
People who are starved of passion in marriages will do crazy shit to feed that void. I’ve known people who love and really adore their spouse, yet if starved of passion will betray them in the worse way. People will commit murder over it, and the legal system even has a name for it. The crime of passion.
Artists, chefs, athletes, musicians, health gurus, there’s a list of things that people are passionate about giving our life flavor, color and thrills. But some passions cause pain, torture, and death. Just look at the story of the Passion of Christ. It’s horrific bloody and frightening to many, yet it’s looked upon by Christians as beautiful and graceful.
I suppose there’s a fine line that must not be crossed where passion is concerned, but given how humans are the most dangerous and destructive creatures on earth it’s no wonder how often and easily that line gets crossed, and how often and easily people blame the one who rebelled against societies standards of normal and took a stand against the unethical treatment of others and even against themselves.
Since I’m no longer as passionate about my country’s unethical injustices, I’m much more at peace with life. But the fire I had and the drive it gave me was no doubt filling and satisfying. It gave me a cause, a reason to get up every morning, empathy for others, it took my mind off my own problems, and gave me a love for others. Something I never felt before back in my drunken, naval gazing days.
Passion no doubt is the strongest force on earth, and I love it.
