Do everything you love with passion
Whizdom Wednesday: 02.14.2024
One day you’ll eat your last meal, smell your last flower, hug your friend for the very last time. You might not know it’s the very last time, so that’s why you should do everything you love with passion. - Graffiti artist Banksy
It’s Valentine's Day. I am not a romantic guy evidenced in my thoughts-to-keep journal. There are no romantic quotes. Doing everything you love with passion seems to fit on this day centered around love.
Living every day to the fullest comes up often in my reads and social media as an older person. I strive to do just that. The dose of reality, amplified with age, is that today may be my last day, morbid but a motivator.
Seven years ago, I left my work life and entered retirement. I thought I knew what my perfect retirement would look like. I have lived a life that matches that dream but evolves as I experience the freedom of controlling my time. It’s the joy of following my passions and discovering others.
Eighteen years ago, I suffered a heart attack and triple coronary bypass leading to seventeen days in the hospital. It pushed me to find a passion to be a healthier Tom. I found that in cycling. Touring by bike leads me to days where I spend the day on my bike as if it were my last day.
Rick, a gay man, became my coming-out mentor in 1979. We shared stories in hours-long talks. Though 45 years have passed, the details of a particular conversation remain clear in my mind. “Tom, you’re in the prime of your life. Be yourself, get out, have fun, and enjoy life.” Those may not be the exact words, but the message was clear. It gave me a passion for life and a passion to love.
Every Wednesday, I select a quote from my thoughts-to-keep journal. I tune out the outside world for ten minutes to reflect and write about that tidbit of wisdom.