Excuse me...Do You Have a Match?

         My grandparents were very strict and overprotective when it came to me.  I believe it was because my mother had my brother and me when she was a teenager.   Because of this, I was not allowed to do very much, except go to school and come home.  I did not go to sleepovers- not even ones hosted by family members.  I did not go to summer camp or any other trips that required overnight stay.  Even as a teenager, I had to be inside or close to my door by 5pm. I did not play sports, nor did I volunteer with any organizations.    The only activity I participated in was band, and there were many restrictions.  Had I applied to college while in high school, my extracurricular and community involvement sections on the application would have been sparse. 

          This lack of involvement had a negative effect on me.  For a long time, there was a lack of enthusiasm when it came to being involved in the world around me. I was unaware of current events.  I did not have a desire to do…anything. I had no passion. I had my routine- go to work, hang out with my friends, and go home.

Wash…Rinse…Repeat.

It was not until I went back to college in my 20’s that I started thinking about getting involved.  Even then, I did not know what I wanted to do.  It happened when I started paying attention and learning to expand my world.  I began learning about different causes, injustices, and organizations designed to assist with these causes.  I learned that I loved spoken word and I had a passion to write. I learned that I was interested in political and legal issues.  When I cast my first vote in the 2004 election, it was such a great feeling because not only was it my right; I knew why I was casting that vote, and I felt empowered.

          Just as there is strength inside all of us, there is also passion.  Something ignites a passion inside of us.  Music. Art. Injustice. Innovation. Your passion could be one or many things.  You do not have to wait until you go back to school to find your passion.  College happened to be where I found mine.  You could find yours while reading a book, or talking to a cancer survivor.  The spark could come from anywhere.

 I had buried passion because my grandparents were scared that I would repeat history so I did not expand my world.  Some of you may be in a rut because of changed circumstances.  There are many reasons why our passion fuse is unlit.  However, I am here to today to tell you it is time to strike the match.  It is time to find out what excites you.  When your passion is unleashed, you will be surprised at what could happen.  You will be surprised at what lives could be changed- starting with yours.

See you next time.