Wait, what? Yep, “passionate” comes from the Latin, passio, which means to suffer. I had to sit with this for a moment, since I’m often described as “passionate.” But as I considered the things I’m passionate about, I realized that the definition held. It’s true: I suffer for the things I’m passionate about. For instance, I stay awake at night mulling over what the people in my life need, and ponder how I can be more positively impactful in issues of social justice. So there’s truth to it: to be passionate means to suffer!
I guess if we’re not willing to suffer for something, we may not be truly passionate about it.
What are you passionate about?
And what inspires your compassion?
Because if passion is about suffering, com-passion is “suffering with.” Compassion doesn’t just observe.. compassion gets involved.
The photo in this article is of our most recent spare room kid; Wayne is a sweet boy born with hydrocephalus. He’s the CUTEST!
One night, Laini found me crying outside his room after I put him to bed. When she asked what was wrong, I couldn’t find the words to express what had moved me so deeply. Looking back, I think it was compassion. I was suffering with the little guy. And I realized that suffering with him was a privilege for me; it has deepened my empathy, strengthened my love, and made me a better person.
What stirs your compassion?
For more about Wayne and how he inspired unconventional leadership, check out this podcast.
Check out how Wayne inspired me to create (and research!) adaptive clothing here. BTW some great adaptive clothing can be found at Patti + Ricky (an adaptive fashion marketplace for adults and kids with disabilities or chronic conditions) and Cat & Jack (yes, Target!)