| December 7, 2008 | On Being a Passionate Person Reverend Jane Bramadat |
Some time ago I was attending a part of a Social Responsibility Council meeting and the question came up as to what each of us was passionate about....and according to one of the participants, I ducked the question. I do not remember doing this, but then, I, like most people, prefer not to remember embarrassing, or less than stellar moments. But now I will speak about my passions.
First of all, I have discovered something rather alarming. Not that I don’t have any passions, but that I have so many! Here is a very partial list (not in any particular order):
1. The potential danger of email
2. Female Genital Cutting
3. Bonds of Friendship/Family
4. Reading
5. Laughter/Humour
6. Community
7. Being a stubborn fence-sitter
8. Supporter of the underdog
I’m sure some of the items on my list may seem quite strange. And they come from many different values.
Let me first, very briefly, discuss passion itself.
The root meaning of passion has nothing to do with hot steamy sex, it has to do with pain (from the Latin passio).....as in the Passion of Jesus dealing with his notorious suffering and painful, public death by crucifixion. But it is also true that the Passion narratives have a hopeful conclusion - that out of the suffering can come the possibility of a new life.
But this is not how the word passion is often used these days. Rather it has the sense of meaning “a strong, enthusiastic devotion to a cause, ideal, or goal and tireless diligence in its furtherance.” In other words, a sense of “zeal” - although one needs to be constantly reminded that it is not that long a journey from ‘zeal’ to ‘zealot’ (aka fanatic)
And I think at the Social Responsibility meeting this was what was being asked. What social issue is most important to me?
But I feel compelled to first of all explain my all-over-the-map list and why each one has a legitimate place on the list. At the same time, please start thinking about your own “passions”
1. The potential danger of email . I am becoming more passionate about this every day. I have watched people’s reputations being murdered and massive misunderstandings developing on email. It happens almost every week. Paradoxically at the same time I enjoy the wonderful jokes that are often visual and have helped me survive a difficult day. I do not, therefore, want to give up email. So I try to remember to be very careful and respectful about how I use email and remember also that there are so many different ways to interpret almost anything one writes.....except maybe setting a date and a place for a meeting.
2. Female Genital Cutting (Mutilation) - which happens mostly but not only in Africa - not from Muslim tradition but from a tribal tradition. This is the practice of cutting away parts of the female genitalia to lessen sexual desire and satisfaction. Usually it is done without the female’s permission and can also be very dangerous to one’s health. In fact it can result in death.
Sometimes however, it is seen as a status symbol. I don’t know what I can do about it, but it has affected me very viscerally and passionately.
3. Bonds of Friendship/Family I have been blessed with a family that likes each other; one that has disagreements but actually hangs in there to work through differences. This has contributed to my passionate loyalty to my friends. I have found that having friends is hard work - but the rewards make it all worthwhile. There’s nothing like knowing there are people who really know who I am and love me anyway. And in return I am blessed to be able to support a variety of friends in whatever way is most helpful.
4. Reading. I can’t remember a single day in my life when I have not been reading something. Usually I have several books on the go at the same time. The reason I call this a ‘passion’ is because I can not imagine not reading. It is like life itself. Through reading I learn about different ways of being; I am like a fisher person - I cast out my line and soon haul in an unexpected catch - something that will enlarge my knowledge, my understanding, my empathy, or my skill base. And libraries mean that I can do this for free!
5. Laughter/Humour I am completely convinced about the essential nature of laughter/humour. It’s not about the telling of jokes, or the ability to be a standup comic, it about the incredible side-effects of almost all laughter/humour (except that which is malicious). Humorists take an unexpected point of view about a subject on which you may believe there’s nothing you don’t know or understand - and introduce another piece of information or attitude or feeling that suddenly means there is a completely different picture in front of you. Without the presence of laughter/humour it is quite possible your mind or heart would have been closed off to having your ideas or theories challenged. It is one of those passions that can bring untold and unexpected treasures into your life.
6. Community is another fundamental passion in my life. I will admit there are a few days when the community I am in brings me less than joy - but I believe that if we can’t get along in a group this size (250-300) then how can we expect there ever to be peace in the world? And why do we think that peace means the absence of any stress or difficulty? Of course it doesn’t. What being part of a community means is that there is a larger group for support, for challenge, for friendship, for nurture, for learning,for noticing rainbows.... And it works as well as we do - which means on some days, not so good, and on others, just like a dream. The Christmas Concert on Friday night was a good example of this community pulling together.
7. Being a stubborn fence-sitter. The reason why I am passionate about fence sitting is because when I was much younger I had a close relative who was, for a time, a Maoist. It was during the Vietnam war and in Canada, at least in Winnipeg, we received much news about how the war was going. My relative told me that I was being given the wrong picture of what was going on, and shared with me the information coming from the “other side” so to speak. Of course it was very different from what we were hearing. This experience did not turn me into a Maoist, not did it make me decide that what the Maoists said was the truth. But it did open my eyes to another set of perspectives. At the best of times it is difficult to know just how closely what we are being told mirrors reality....or even if there is just one correct reality. I now find that I listen very carefully to what I hear and what I observe and try my best to remember how complicated any given situation is bound to be. It matters that we attempt to understand the depth and breadth of each situation. And because awareness takes time to unfold, I am not always willing to rush to judgment. Of course, being completely human, I sometimes do rush to judgment.
I usually find out it would have been better to think on matters a little longer. For me it is a balancing act between the need to act and the need to be as informed as possible.
8. Supporter of the underdog. This is all about human rights and species rights, and about almost invisible ways in which larger numbers of people or property can be manipulated. In the past I was definitely one of the underdogs as a woman (and my simmering feminism is never far from the surface!) It is possible as I age and become an elder that I will enter yet another area of underdogishness, but I have yet to feel the pressure of this. I began this passionate support when I was about 12 and some bullies were terrorising some neighbourhood boys. They ran into our yard and up onto our verandah to try to find safety. I took off yelling like a banshee to chase away the bullies. They were so shocked to see this pigtailed little maniac charging straight at them that they took off as though there was an actual threat. I realised it was the element of surprise that had made this tactic feasible and that it probably would not work next time. It did, however, prevent the boys from being hurt. Sometimes spontaneity is the right response! Through this and other experiences I became aware that resistance to injustice is always possible in one way or another...and that made me feel empowered.
I am also concerned about the homelessness situation in Victoria - where the numbers are rising every year.
I am alarmed at the thought of tankers coming into BC in the Inner Passage to take away oil derivatives flowing through pipelines coming from Alberta.
I try to match my time, energy and resources to each of these concerns. But this does not make me feel that my concerns need to be the same as others. We all need to have our passions directed to where we will put our time, talent and treasures. I believe that democracy is the best political system we presently have created, but it is far from perfect and not immune from corruption. One of the quotations Felix Lion used was “Eternal vigilance is the price of freedom.” I don’t know if this was an original quote, but it is a good one!
There is an almost endless list of problems that need to be fixed and people who need to be helped. There is no one answer. But there is a requirement for religious liberals to use their best selves and as much of their time and energy as possible to work on making ourselves, our community, our country, our world better.
What is religious or spiritual about any of this? Why is this something to discuss on a Sunday morning in a religious community? To repeat myself, our liberal religious perspective requires us to be willing to act to change the world so that it is more accepting of all people and all cultures. Although within each culture (including our own) there are pieces that are unfair to some portion of the population and need to be resisted and changed.
We Unitarians and Universalists base our actions on a premise of the inherent worth and dignity of every person; and justice equity and compassion in human relations. We search for the truth responsibly and acknowledge our interdependence with all of existence. Because how can a world develop when people’s rights are being denied them, when the land is being ravaged, when other species are being destroyed?
We all need to be as passionate as possible as much as possible. This means having an enthusiastic devotion to a cause (or causes) that matter(s)s to us... and tireless diligence in its furtherance. It means being a risk-taker and being as courageous as we can stand. It means showing confidence and courage and having a willingness to push back and take an unpopular position if you really believe in it. From time to time, however, remember to sit back and enjoy all that you are attempting to do and allow your passion a chance to recharge. Remember that some of the essentials are invisible to the eye, but almost never to the heart, mind and spirit. And don’t forget to be of good cheer....
If here you have connected with the spirit of life, the human spirit, or a sacred spirit of creation, take it with you and share it with those who matter to you.
If here you have found more questions than answers, or better questions to ask, gently massage them and allow their meanings to sink into your self before you integrate them or let them go.
Bring your passion with you when you come and feel free to leave some here as well as taking some fresh zeal with you when you leave.
May whatever you have found here either empower you or be released with no regret.
May you listen carefully to your still small voice within and also to the unexpected wisdom that comes when you least expect it, from sources most marvelous and diverse.
Be curious in your mind; at peace in your heart and take wing with your spirit.
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