No, I didn’t wake up to discover that I have a passion for knitting. Actually, I tried knitting…when I was 8. But I certainly don’t love it.

In fact, my first (and only) knitting project was a total failure. I started an aqua colored scarf. Each twist of the needle was a slow process made so much more painful when observing my babysitter effortlessly knit row after row with speed and ease. Amazingly, she never even looked at her hands!

I felt some measure of accomplishment once I had a foot of my scarf done. I had earned that length with hard labor! I thought my scarf in progress was safe in the family room closest, but I was mistaken. Later, I found my scarf unraveled into a tangle of yarn with nary a stitch in sight. And so ended my foray into knitting.

Knitting by the Fire

Mr. HalfFull’s sister shows off her knitting project!

I was once again reminded of knitting during our Christmas travel. My 9-year-old niece was teaching my sister-in-law to knit. She was toiling away on her flat scarf, while my niece had moved onto a more complex pattern of knitting in a circle. I guess knitting is reserved for Mr. HalfFull’s side of the family.

Wow, that was a long tangent! But this post isn’t about knitting. It’s about passion. And as we’ve established, knitting is not my passion. Oh, if only it were that easy.

But apparently, I DO have a passion. I know that many of you have been following me on my Quest for Passion around the world. I was as disappointed as you not to find a path of certainly. All I found was a lifelong quest!

So perhaps you are wondering what this newfound passion could be.  Even I am a bit incredulous typing those words, so let me explain.

I had lunch with a friend who suggested that my passion is seeking out my passion. At first, I stared back with a quizzical look as if to say, “How can THAT be a passion?” He pointed out that it’s the thing I think, write, and read about most. It’s the thing that I willingly explore and am excited to uncover. Isn’t that the definition of a passion?

It’s a new way of framing the idea. Apparently, my passion can’t be a single, simple, easy to understand thing like knitting. My passion is a quest; it’s the journey itself.

This passion led me to quit my job, and enter a place of insecurity and uncertainty. It’s not a comfortable place, but something drove me to it. My passion, perhaps?

I am excited and apprehensive about the exploration ahead. I love reading articles about career happiness. I love stories of how others successfully changed paths. And I have the same hopes for myself.

Spin Class

Ms. HalfEmpty sweats as she contemplates the deep lyrics of “Rhythm is a Dancer.”

As I was spinning away on my bike in RPM™ class, the song ”Rhythm is a Dancer” was playing through the speakers with this persistent refrain:  ”Oooohhhh it’s a passion.” And it got me to thinking about my passion. Perhaps I should take a cue from the song and…

Let it control you hold you mold you

Not the old, the new, touch it, taste it

Free your soul let it invade you

Gotta to be what you wanna

Can one really be passionate about finding a passion?

  • Have you tried knitting? Was your attempt successful?
  • Has a friend helped you frame something differently?
  • Is this passion just semantics or helpful?

Ms. HalfEmpty

Ms. HalfEmpty is a 30-something introverted realist, perhaps a pessimist. But she's trying to see the world half full on halfempty4now.com, which she started in February 2011. Her worldview may not be all bad, as it probably helps keep her husband, Mr. HalfFull, grounded and out of trouble!

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