This bothered me. I chewed on it most of the afternoon. I love passionate people. I admire people who feel strongly about things and take a stand for what they think is right. Sometimes that's something really important, but other times, it's just an opinion about music or movies or sports. I didn't like to think that I was not a passionate person because that seemed to say that I don't feel deeply. That is certainly not the case.
Late that afternoon when I'd thought myself in circles, I went to my good, excessively passionate friend Erin and asked her what she thought. She laughed and said she'd been thinking through the same issue regarding me. She came to the conclusion that the only way to really rile me up is to directly attack someone I love. She pointed out that someone could sit there all day and attack my musical, political, sports, or movie preferences, possibly even my theological leanings and I wouldn't take the bait, but were that same person to directly malign the character of or be intentionally hurtful toward one of the others sitting at that same table, I'd have put a stop to it in a heartbeat. And, when she said it, I knew it was true.
My heart, the seat of my emotions, soars and plummets with those I love. I was laughing with my best friend this morning because I caught myself tearing up over something really silly. I quickly realized, though, it wasn't really what she'd said that had my heart in my throat as much as all the really wonderful emotional moments I'd had building up over the course of several days.
From celebrating with CWJC graduates to coffee with long lost Peruvian missionary friends and adventures with a locksmith to impromptu family gatherings around football, a joyful lunch with my treasured church family to dinner with a loving and generous older couple intentionally pouring into my life ... it was one heck of a weekend. My heart and head can barely contain it all still.
So, where was I? Oh, yes, people. I am passionate about people. I am passionate about friends with and for whom I've fought to be close. I'm passionate about friends who are no longer close in proximity but are never far from thought. I'm passionate about women who are making major life changes one small decision at a time. I'm passionate about family and the determination to love in a I Corinthians 13:7 sort of way. So, if I seem a little weepy this week, it's just my heart overflowing via my tear ducts. Don't worry. They're probably happy tears.
I'm passionate about loving others well and making sure they know they are loved. Step on that, and we might go to fighting.
Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. I Corinthians 13:7
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