Loving Life First - Role of Faith

Today, I had lunch with my boss. I've had discussions about my searching for work that I could feel passionate about. It was at the acclaimed authentic Chinese restaurant called P.F. Chang's and at the end I opened a fortune cookie that read, "Not knowing where you are going doesn't mean you are not going in the right direction." I thought, "Wow, how fitting..." to which he laughed, "Don't believe everything you read!"

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I have a hypothesis. It's that a passion in life cannot come without first loving life. An interesting dichotomy since people seem to pursue the former in hopes of solving the latter. At the same time, it is the latter which drives or hinders the former (whether consciously or not).

And what is a hypothesis without assumptions? I assume that the typical lures of money, fame, power, worldly possessions (tangible or not) or even love/relationships aren't enough to truly fulfill the human desires. Not anymore than a hamburger and forever fill one's appetite. If you doubt me on this, check the entertainment news. Beautiful, rich, famous, powerful people still falling into the wrong things? Aren't they happy? Just how much is enough? Just trust me on this matter or it will be impossible to accept further statements.

Don't misunderstand me; one has to eat. There are necessities. In fact, I don't believe money or any of those things to be inherently wrong. However, they may be abused. And more importantly, in abundance they still leave something lacking, something to be desired. So then the question becomes... where does a passion for life come from? Now we're getting somewhere. What drives you? What are your motivations? Are they for money? These are not easy questions to be honest about.

Going back to the fortune cookie's tacit message, is ignorance bliss? Can we accept that things will work out and the right direction is ahead if we remain clueless? Yes and no. Haha. Trick question. No, because I believe that you must take control of the wheel, so to speak. Yes because we are limited by our human ability and foresight. That's where faith comes in. Faith allows one to accept what he/she cannot control. Being myself a Christian, the salvation and hope are irreplaceable foundations. Yes, I still find myself tempted and making mistakes. But do not allow preconceived notions to cloud your judgment. I could spend all day trying to convince you but in the end you must seek the truth yourself. You may be surprised at what you find.

Final note: Faith gives guidance as well as purpose in life. It allows me to love life and is the basis of my passion and I believe it to be truth. The next step? Finding the right outlet(s).