"Mia, what is passin?", asked an excited Molly. Mia, who was in the middle of chewing her toes, looked up in disgust. "It's pronounced "pash-shin" you twit, not passin! Oh Molly, you've been here three years, when will you learn?" Molly tried saying "passion" a few times, laying more stress on the "pah" part and spraying Mia in spit. "Molllllyyy you disgustemundo thing. Look at what you've done. I've just had a bath two weeks ago, if Sid sees me like this, I will be hauled off for a ghastly shower! Go get my eau de cologne and hair gel at once. Let's see if we can mask some of this damage you've done." Molly trotted away dutifully and returned with a large bottle of "Musk for Mutts" and a green tube of "Keep it straight" (taming shaggy dogs since 1873!). Mia proceeded to slather on vast quantities of the stuff, slicking down her unruly mane. She made Molly spray the perfume while she walked through the cloud of scented mist and tossed her head about in style. Molly watched in fascination, sighing in admiration "Oh Mia, you're so elegant." Mia twirled around and patted Molly on the head, flattery could get you anywhere with her! "Come my little one, passion you said? Take notes!"
Molly settled down in front of a newspaper, a pen wedged in her mouth. "Passion, or pasión in Spanish", said Mia with a flourish as Molly shivered in excitement (she did love it when Mia spoke in foreign languages, it was all so posh), "comes from the Greek verb πασχω meaning to suffer". Molly looked puzzled at the unfamiliar letters, which Mia had traced with her manicured paw on the ground. "How do you pronouce that Greek word?" Mia clicked impatiently, "Who cares, it's Greek to me! All that matters it's an old old word and basically means when you have an intense feeling for something or someone". Molly still looked puzzled "Use it in a sentence". Mia replied
almost instantly "I have a passion for antique furniture, crossword puzzles, tea ceremonies, origami, and old French movies". Molly looked amazed, "Wow, that's a lot of passion, where do you get the time?" Mia laughed, "Molly, we are dogs! We have only time. Just because you spend most of your time trying to find ways to open the cupboard and raid the dustbin, doesn't mean you can't have any other interests or find time to enjoy other things". Molly looked genuinely puzzled, "But I like raiding the dustbin. It gives me such joy. I could do it all day long!" Mia looked scornfully at her, "Trust you to have dustbin raiding as your passion. But then you are lucky, for not everyone gets the time or the opportunity to do something everyday that they are passionate about". Molly looked pleased, but quickly adjusted her face to look pitiful (Mia loved it when she looked pitiful). "And what about Dad? He's passionate about photography and he gets to do it everyday. So he and I are the same, we're living our dream!". At this revelation Sid, who had been observing, and choosing to ignore the two of them, looked up in shock "Oh God! I can't believe the dustbin raider and I are the same!" Molly leapt into his lap, "But Puh-Pah passion is passion. Now take Mummy...totally unfocused she is. She works, but she wants to do everything else also. Dancing, writing, singing, baking, yoga, reading, start her own business, etc. No focus".
At this reference to my lack of focus, I chose to interrupt. "I like lots of things. And I can't do all of
them, all the time, but I'm lucky that my work allows me to indulge in other stuff. When I retire I intend to have a rollicking good time, there's so much to do! So don't feel too sorry for me my little Molly". Mia looked pleased with this answer and came over with a withered piece of paper, which I took to be her attempt at origami. I accepted it with a straight face and patted her on the head, secretly thankful that she had other things to fall back on! But the whole discussion got me thinking about work and "passion".
I always find it interesting how most of us when introduced to new people and asked what we do, always answer with a "I work at XYZ". We are conditioned to see ourselves within the confines of what we do to earn a living. Which is not a bad thing, it's just rather dreary that our jobs seem to define us. When I was once introduced by someone to a new group, he said "She's a storyteller (aka a liar)." Which was an entertaining and a refreshing change from how I would usually answer. It also got me thinking about how several people don't do much else, outside of their work, presumably because they don't have the time. But I find it surprising that people feel that they have to work till they die, not because they necessarily need the money, but because it's difficult to just sit at home. I totally agree...but what does that have to do with a job? There is so much to indulge in beyond our jobs, and to let just that become our life is, to me, a dangerous thing. I spent 4 months last year in between jobs and I had the best time...there is always so much to do and learn...write, read, bake, sing, dance, yoga, travel. You could volunteer, play a sport, or even do something that pays you, not for the money, but because it interests you. I'm blessed
to have always had jobs that allowed me time to indulge in things that make me happy. Though I am quite insistent as well, my time beyond work is sacrosanct. For to live a life without passion, without doing anything that truly interests you...may as well never get out of bed!
My little internal rant was interrupted by a crash coming from the kitchen. Molly was obviously indulging in her single minded pursuit of smelly trash. As I walked towards the kitchen, ready to shriek at her, I noticed she was sitting by the windowsill, gazing at the moon outside. So that meant? "Mia!", I yelled, glaring at a porky brown backside sticking out of the cupboard. A cheeky whiskered face looked back at me, unapologetic, "You said it's good to have multiple interests, pursue my passion. I'm just trying out Molly's. And why is my origami in the trash?!" I hauled her out of the kitchen, while she yelped about the curtailing of her rights and she was better off on the streets where no one tried to interfere. If I wasn't passionate about these two, I really would have torn my hair out by now!
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