Passion/Profession

I have mentioned before that each morning begins with Tyler watching The Golf Channel, tuning in to Morning Drive while I rush about in a frenzy because there is never enough time (because I do not leave enough time) to do all that needs to be done.

I sit on the bed, half-dressed, because I don't ever know what to wear, what clothes I even own, with a hair straightener in one hand, my phone in the other as I try to catch up on your blogs, a kindle book downloading in the background for the subway, through all this shouting to Tyler, is it raining?  Is it going to rain?  What's the temperature?  Checking my work calendar to see about meetings, wondering if I packed my gym clothes, still half dressed, still wondering, a sweater?  A tee-shirt?  A coat?   

Through it all, Golf Channel hums in the background, predictable in its format.  Host Eric pumps his fist  as he shouts: 'Yeah [insert day of week]'  Holly Saunders saunters in with her questions.  And the commercials are always the same.  Day after day.  David I. Pankin, the bankruptcy lawyer (Take control of your life and your finances.)  National Car Rental (There you go, business pro, there you go.)

This morning, I leapt out of the shower to engage in the mad ritual outlined above, and Tyler said to me, dead serious, "Hey. Do you want to turn your passion into a profession?"

Of course, I knew this commercial.  It's part of the block. 

"Yes.  Yes I do," I responded.

"Then Professional Golfer Career College is for you," he teased.

I laughed.  Because I have to laugh.  Because it's funny. Because turning your passion into a profession is what it's all about.  Because the Professional Golfer Career College is the place to do it.

As I rummaged through drawers for clothes I couldn't find, put one earring in, forgot the other, I thought about turning your passion into a profession.  I thought about writing, my forever passion.  I thought about all I've been thinking about in the past few months, few years, really, as I take a good look at my life, my career, and try to assess, make sense of where I am and where I'm going.  Because every day, I am pushing, racing forward, trying to get somewhere, anywhere.

And sometimes I forget.  That my passion is already my profession.  That despite the interruptions, the corporate madness, the blurred lines, I write for kids.  That every night, I come home and do more of what I love.  That there are hundreds of thousands of words on faded pages. That there are books in my head.  That no matter how long it takes, no matter how many people say 'no', I will keep going, writing towards something, anything.

I've been so crazy lately, so entirely out of my freaking mind (and I'm sorry, I'm really sorry to those of you who have been listening) I've forgotten that. 

So here is the question.  Is your passion your profession?  It's not about money.  It's not about a title or what you put on your business card.  It's a vocation.  A declaration.  A calling.