Passion Projects

       As many may know about me, I have a goal of visiting all 50 U.S. States. Thanks to trips my family took growing up (as well as some personal adventures I've taken in recent years), I'm pretty close to hitting that goal. Only 3 states remain: Alaska, Hawai'i, and Rhode Island. Given that the first 2 are bigger, more expensive trips to take, I've always viewed Rhode Island as "next in line", so to speak. Last year, I considered taking a trip up to the Northeast so that I could knock Rhode Island off that elusive list, as well as explore nearby areas such as Boston. However, that trip never came to fruition last year. But why was that? Why did I pass up the chance to explore the Northeast and say that I've visited all of the Lower 48? 

    Well, it ultimately came down to this: my heart just wasn't in it. While I do hope to make that trip one day, the thought of visiting last year felt more forced than fun. It felt like I wanted to go just to say I've been to Rhode Island, not because I truly wanted to go to Rhode Island or the Northeast. In place of taking vacation time for that trip, I ended up taking a day off around my birthday instead, enjoying the day with a walk in the park, lunch with a friend, and even having leftover cake for breakfast. Looking back, I probably got just as much out of that day as I would have if I had taken that trip to Rhode Island. 

    In life, there are times when we try to get ourselves to do something, only to realize that our heart isn't in it. The very thing that's supposed to be fun and bring us joy feels like a chore. We may even move forward with it not because we want to, but because we have to or because it's for someone else. When we start to run into those mixed emotions, a deeper reflection is warranted. The simplest question to ask is this: why are we doing the thing that we're doing? Our response can be quite telling. In the case of a hobby, it should be because it's something that we enjoy doing or want to do. If a hobby isn't something that we want to do or enjoy doing...well, it's no longer a hobby. In fact, it's probably something we should stop doing. 

    Now, as I write this, the message isn't "stop doing everything that you don't enjoy". I may not always enjoy eating vegetables, exercising, paying bills, or cleaning, but I recognize the value of them. After all, being healthy or having a place to live are important. No, I mean this more in the context of hobbies and passions. If you don't enjoy your hobbies or aren't passionate about them, it may be worth looking into new ones. 

    A few weeks ago, a  YouTube channel I enjoy mentioned that they would be ending a series that they've been doing: "What if NASCAR Had the Playoffs In (X) Year". They mentioned that making recent installments of the series were no longer fun for them. One of the comments I read mentioned that the best content is that's fueled by passion and not forced. Therefore, they respected their decision about creating future content for that series. As a viewer, I would rather watch content that they enjoyed making as opposed to content that they slogged through making. 

    When someone is passionate about the content they are creating, you can tell. And that passion makes the content all the more enjoyable. As a NASCAR fan, one thing that I enjoy about their channel (as well as other YouTube NASCAR channels) is their energy, excitement, and enthusiasm -- not just for the sport, but for the content they are creating about the sport. Enthusiasm has a way of being contagious and enhancing others' experience. And the thing about enthusiasm is this: you can't fake it. It's genuine and exciting.

    Lately, I've found myself reflecting on my own passions and the things that I enjoy doing. One activity that I've enjoyed during quarantine has been doing puzzles. However, as I've pieced together different puzzles, it's started to feel more like a chore and made me relieved when I've finished. That's been a sign that it is time to scale back with puzzles. Then again, I did just buy a new one, but I can hold off on putting it together. Still, it's been good to reassess the things I do in my free time and why I do them. Even with the Texas heat, going for walks are something that I really enjoy and rarely feel forced. The same goes for things like playing Scrabble, reading, watching sports, or writing. Speaking of which...

    As I've thought about this blog and why I restarted it a few years ago, it's been because I've genuinely enjoyed writing in it. Admittedly, there have been times I've scrapped a post because it felt forced or my heart wasn't in it. When I think back to my recent post about weariness, I've struggled with actually wanting to write a post. It made me sad that I was going through such a slump. Still, it's highlighted why I've kept up with this blog: I'm passionate about it and the content each post includes. It's why so many posts include references to shows like Spongebob Squarepants or Arthur, mentions of my fandom of the Green Bay Packers, or other "Will-isms" like grocery shopping, Oreos, traveling, or NASCAR. It's why so many posts lead to me talking about my struggles or insecurities. And it's why so many posts ultimately lead to me sharing my faith and writing about my walk with the Lord.

    Paul gave the Corinthians and Colossians great instructions about work. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, Paul writes "So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God". Similarly, Colossians 3:23 reads "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." It's a comforting reminder that all that we do should be for the glory of God our Father. We are ultimately serving Him. That's why all that we do (including our hobbies) should be with all of heart and not halfheartedly. God wants us to pursue all that we do with all of our hearts. It's why He loves a cheerful giver and not a reluctant one (2 Corinthians 9:7). Plus, when it comes to serving God specifically, He wants us to be genuinely enthusiastic about Him, not lukewarm. 

    To close, I'm reminded by one trip that I did take, one I've mentioned in here before: going visiting Idaho in 2017. As I've looked back on that trip, there are two reasons why I look back on that trip so fondly: I was excited about going and did a lot of planning leading up to it. I truly wanted to go to Idaho and explore a new part of the country that I had never been to. I really wanted to see a Boise State football game on that famed blue turf. Leading up to the trip, I planned out what I was going to do, including meals. It wasn't taking a trip just to take a trip or visit a state I'd never been to; it was an adventure that I wanted to take! That's why I look back so fondly on that trip, even more than other ones I've taken the past few years. And I hope I can have a level of that enthusiasm when I do visit Rhode Island one day. 

    I'm thankful the skills, gifts, interests, and hobbies that God has put in my heart. I'm thankful to have been reminded why I brought back this blog in the first place and why I want to keep blogging moving forward. And whether it's going to work, going for a walk, writing a blog post, taking a trip, or doing anything else, I want to be with all my heart for the glory of God. Thanks be to God!