One Love

I admire when someone is irrationally passionate about and wholeheartedly absorbed in any one subject, whether it be kung fu movies, typefaces or gorilla conservation.

I have always wanted to be in a career that I feel this way about and I assume that most people do. Although, I know I probably represent the more idealistic end of the spectrum.

Today the idea was raised that it may not be a good thing to be unconditionally absorbed in your work. I always thought that being absorbed in your job, thinking about it on the train, researching on weekends and stubbornly pressing on against all obstacles was a good thing. Its what makes waking up early in the morning something to look forward to. I thought that having a bookshelf heavy with books about your one love was something to look up to. To be an expert in something is awesome, because most people aren’t. This is the way progress is made.

But maybe it is imbalanced and unhealthy? Maybe you miss out on too much when you focus too intently on one thing.

I thought it was magnificent to find the one thing that you feel you can make sense of the world through doing. I suppose that most people search their whole lives for their one love and never find a subject that really fires them up. Some people will never look and some people will probably not be passionate about anything ever. But right now it feels like it is something I want, so I am going to find it.

(When I read this post to Joe and asked him for a title suggestion, he spoke in his sleepy wisdom, “from Baboons to Baseball I am in it for the Long Haul” and while I decided not to use it as a title, I thought it was worth mentioning.)