What are you passionate about?
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Every day, WordPress offers up a writing prompt. You can see today’s right above this paragraph and the link will take you to other WordPress bloggers that have answered the question. I thought it might be fun to start answering these. If you have a question or prompt you’d like me to answer, let me know in the comments and I’ll answer.
Now, on with my answer!
My passions, like everyone, have shifted throughout my life, but some have been constant. I know that the passing passions were likely influenced by what I thought I was “supposed” to care about.
When I am truly passionate about something, it is a burning on the inside that only needs a mention to be fanned into an inferno. Yet there have been people that try to stamp out that fire. Their eyes go wide and “sorry I asked” is their way of saying “you’re wrong for feeling that way.” I used to pull back and keep the flames hidden. But not anymore.
When the subject of education or library policy are brought up, you better believe I’m going to address the horror I feel when I see that a group of individuals is being punished for existing. When human rights are the topic, directly or indirectly, I will defend their safety and identity. I will not be told that I’m being too much. Because there is no such thing as enough until everyone is able to live as their authentic selves and no one tries to tell them that who they love, how they feel, what they look like, what they wear, how intelligent they are, how capable they are, what they believe, or anything else that harms absolutely no one.
I remember one of the first times that I spoke up about the topic of state testing. I argued that current testing practices are unfair to students from other cultures. That expecting an ADHD student to sit quietly for four hours is barbaric. That schools should not be judged by these tests as worthy or unworthy of funding. EVERY child deserves access to quality education. I was barely scratching the surface of my feelings on the subject when I heard people in the other room whispering, “What got up her butt?”
At first, I took that as I sign that I shouldn’t speak my mind around these particular people. But then I decided that they were probably the ones that needed to hear how I felt the most. These are people that say they care but only want to see the quiet me. The me they’ve come to expect, shaped by their views and their passions.
When I was told by a loved one that they “refused” to use Monkey’s preferred name, I did not hold back. I made it clear under no uncertain terms that they would make the effort or lose the privilege of being in our lives. Thankfully, they got the message and have started trying.
I think that this passion is coming through in my writing as well. When I started writing Quest to Valadin I did not set out to write LGBTQ characters. I was simply writing about characters that needed help to heal and live authentically. It was completely natural to include LGBTQ characters because I fully believe that their stories are universal. We all want to be accepted for who we are. We want to be able to express ourselves the way we see fit and not be placed in boxes we don’t belong in.
Book two has dived into the subject even further, addressing the senseless violence against a community that harms absolutely no one. I started to worry that I was straying from my original intention, but I’ve come to realize that I am still telling the stories of individuals that need to heal and live authentically.
So, what’s the short answer to the question? What am I passionate about? I’m passionate that every person is a person, plain and simple. And I believe that it is through stories–be they written, performed, conversational, or lyrical–that we can begin to grasp just how human we all are.
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