My Friends

Most of my friends are my friends because of the life that we’ve experienced together. These random moments where life brought us together bonded us. From choir practice in elementary school to group projects in CS classes, these opportunities to do life together have drawn us close and opened the door to a lifetime of relationship. The depth and the longevity may vary but the connectedness remains. Even when I forget a name in my heart there are memories of the moment we first knew each other. There seems to always have been a part of me that yearned to be a part of someone else’s story and to open a chapter in mine for them. 

As I scroll through my phone contacts and Facebook friends I reimagine our moments or the ones that followed. The themes are laughter, curiosity, ambition, teamwork, food and rest. There are those in whom I instantly recognized a spark that ignited fire in my own personality and others whose quiet composure drew me in to explore the contrast of such a complimentary presence. 

I see myself as light and dark. As R&B and punk rock. As an introverted extrovert who loves the science of art and the art of science. I am as multifaceted as the people who have poured into me, came along side me and even walked away. I’m grateful for the eternal chaos of the universe that saw fit to move our atoms near enough that we could communicate and co-exist in this time to create love, tension and progress.

And that’s what I think of my friends. 

Passion is Not Enough

Passion. This word is thrown around, fabled as the key to success, and never explained. My mantra, 'Find your passion, live your dream' is not just an empty slogan. It is a guiding principle to my goal of changing the world one life at at time.

The idea of passion as a requirement for success is not what I disagree with. I am bothered by the lack of understanding of the depth of the term 'passion' and the lack of personal ownership in a persons own definition of success. 

Passion encompasses many things, most notably:

• Discipline - to do or not to do
• Desire - to want to do
• Motivation - a reason to do 
• Focus - to keep doing
• and Skill - to do well

This is why it a such misleading term.

Passion is an invisible fuel you can't buy, borrow, or steal. I think passion is raw and natural but like any growing thing it can be cultivated to produce a better yield. Passion, like energy, can be stifled but not destroyed. It can be restrained or hindered but not depleted. Passion, like love, is eternal but can hibernate. It can retreat in times of comfort or stress. It can dwindle malnourished or overwhelm when enticed. If you have captured your passion treat it as a beloved guest in your life and not as an enslaved work man. 

I challenge you to question the value of your life and your definition of success. I dare you to become the person you were meant to be by finding your passion and defining your dreams. Take the courage to decide what your life is about and not just what you will do any given day. Live intentionally and aim to not waste any of the moments you have been blessed with. 

I won't challenge you to do something that I haven't already done myself. I seek to know God and for Him and his love to be known to all. I desire to love without limits just as I have been. This is the purpose of my life. Luckily, this life is full of an infinite number of ways for me to live this everyday. This includes my work at Microsoft and my adventures with EDEN BodyWorks.

So, what are you doing and what are you going to do next? I can't wait to hear about it in the comments below!

What a Weekend

This weekend I:

Got a massage

Painted a picture

Recorded a cover song

Took a 13 mile bike ride

Hung out with 3 groups of friends

Watched hours of comedy

Played my harmonica

Went to church 

Watched most of the the SuperBowl with friends

Did some math

Practice coding in Ruby

Read all my emails 

and at no time felt stressed!

This weekend I decided to do all the things I needed to do without sacrificing the things I wanted to do. With a happier, more fulfilled me it was easier to get through all the not-so-fun stuff that usually gets put off until the weekend. I asked myself, "What are all the things I've pushed aside as non-essential parts of who I am? " and I put my heart towards doing those things. I felt like I was really living. I wasn't just maintaining relationships. I was investing in them and strengthening them. This weekend reminded me that sometimes I take myself too seriously and that there's no point in working hard for the life you've always wanted if you never take the time to enjoy it.