Thank you for the the joy filled comments in the last entry. It was perfect.
How do you view the following - Passion versus love in this context.
A person says the following "I love my work" and another says "I am passionate about my work".
Answer any number of the following:
#1
I love my work - How many hours per week do you envision that person working?
I am passionate about my work - How many hours per week do you envision that person working?
#2
One person says I am passionate about charity and the other says I love charity - How would you see the person that loves charity versus the person that is passionate about charity? How would that look?
#3
How would you compare the love versus passionate statement as it would relate to ones family?
#4
Do you have any general feelings or ideas on how you would compare these two terms?
How we receive now
1 day ago
To me being passionate about something implies that you give more of yourself to it than if you love it. The exception to this being love itself for to me passion is physical, love is emotional.
ReplyDeleteI love my work means I like to do my work. I am passionate about my work means I like to do my work more than anything else and I fully enjoy doing it.
ReplyDeleteI think another way to consider this is to ask whether you are dedicated to what you do or whether you are devoted to what you do. Dedication is mind centered, whereas devotion is heart centered. If I'm dedicated to something, I may feel strongly committed and even express 'love' for it. But when I'm passionate about something, I take it much further in thought, emotion, and action. I become devoted to it.
ReplyDeleteGreat blog post and I look forward to more thought provoking, positive conversations. Thank you!
Tom, thanks for the comment on my blog! Also, I checked out amazing-kids.org after seeing your profile, it looks so great! I really love that they have volunteer youth staff represented on their "staff" page. I'm looking forward to reading more about their work. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteHmm, I love this thought provoking post, but am not passionate about it. I think that love is a combination of the heart + brain (well, in the ideal world, at least). Passion has no rationale whatsoever. Extreme passion can be, well, fun but concerning. If someone is passionate about their job, that could be a great thing, or I might be concerned that they are addicted to work at the exclusion of family, etc.
ReplyDeleteRobyn
I think it boils down to love being a choice, and passion being irrepressible!
ReplyDeleteI loved my job and I was passionate about it... to me it was unlike anything I could have done before and it was an awesome responsibility....I was both driven passionately and I loved it...it was my heart that needed a break...
ReplyDeleteSincerely
an ER RN
Oh, there's a big difference between the two. Just ask anyone in a passionate relationship, versus being in love for a lifetime. I think those that are passionate about charity will stay involved at all costs, while someone who loves charity is willing to let it go once in awhile if its inconvenient. The same for jobs - if people were truly passionate, they'd be willing to do the job for free or little pay. I suspect many would fall out of love with their job if that were the case.
ReplyDeleteWow, good question and thanks for visiting my blog and the post you left there.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the ones who said that passion vs love depends on context. There is an element of losing ones perspective or balance to some extent. something wild and yes, almost erotic about it. And with passion there is a different relationship to time, things happen fast, time disappears. To me, love is longer and more steadfast.
So for a job, charity, family each of these qualities can be needed at times. Just a matter of balance.
The other difference is that passion has charisma and is completely extroverts (it seems to me) while love is quieter and behind the scenes.
These are great and thought provoking questions.
love,
Erika
Sorry, it is late. I meant to refer in my second paragraph to passion as far as losing perspective etc...
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog. I can't imagine how a thinker like you found it! I agree with Carrie Wilson - love is a choice, passion is irrepressible with lost perspective. As in I love my job, my boss is passionate about hers.
ReplyDeleteI like your questions.
gosh, this is a tough one. since i think love and passion overlap. its the degree that differs from person to person, situation to situation... looking at question 1, if you love your work you'll enjoy your time being there, go the extra mile, be proud of what you accomplish. passion for your work is different in that it will take you over the edge, push you to exceed and again exceed in your field, with a need to create new and more, become top of the field... when it comes to family i think we love are children and are passionate about their growth and development, and we love our spouse, but passion makes it a marriage where both encourage each other and they find pleasure in achieving mutual satisfaction...
ReplyDeleteTom, I love this challenge. I believe that love and passion differ in degree, intensity, quality, and meaning. Let me give you an example. One can love another with passion. One can hate another with passion. But one cannot hate another with love. Having said that, my belief is that as Carrie and Pauline said, love is a choice, passion is irrepressable. But unlike Pauline's comment that passion loses perspective, I believe it is quite the opposite. Passion is absolute in its perspective, goal driven, highly focused. Example, the passion of Christ. Final comment, no matter what the object, love is a choice of the heart and passion is a urgent drive of the soul.
ReplyDeleteThank you for visiting my blog and leaving a comment. I really like yours and will be following it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with many of the responses. Passion to me involves a larger sense of committment and therefore action and an intesity to continue to do "the right thing" despite circumstances. Love can be more passive, but isn't necessarity so.
Looking back I was passionate about my job as a social worker and spent extra attention, committment, time, money, etc... But, in the same sense it also leaves you more vulnerable than "just" love.
I guess the trick is to remain passionate without the passion burning out - a passionate middle way !
ReplyDeleteTom, thanks for visiting my blog. I enjoyed reading yours. Although our approaches are very different, and I suspect we blog for somewhat different reason, I learned a lot from yours and how you engage people in it.
ReplyDeletePerhaps I can illustrate the topic of your post by defining how I see blogging. I love to write, but only about topics about which I have passion. As Father Hesberg of Notre Dame said, "One cannot blow and uncertain trumpet." My own definition of the difference between love and passion is this: Love is the expression of feelings. Passion fuels action and behavior.
I follow your blog now not only because it is interesting, but because it reveals convictions and wisdom I admire. Continue your passionate efforts.
Thank you for your comments on my blog. Interesting questions you pose....and for me, quite timely. I just got home from having breakfast with a friend who is also in his 60's. We were discussing this very issue in terms of finding a companion at this stage in our lives. We both agreed that the quality of passion for us has taken on a careful, if not structured demeanor. We ask, "where has passion gotten me in my previous relationships?" It's hard to have careful abandon. The membrane around the passion molecule in our bodies is compromised. It's possible we need new spark plugs, or a jump-start. Internal combustion is not happenin' for us, but we know we can still love.
ReplyDeleteHey Tom, yes, you have the right idea regarding a first aid kit. Thanks for visiting.
ReplyDeleteBe well,
Robyn
Passion for work can be a learned discipline, but love of work is from the heart.
ReplyDeleteSecretia
Hello Tom: Thank you for stopping by my blog for my grandchildren (my raviolis). I am always fascinated the way people discover new blogs and would enjoy knowing how you found Raviolis for Lunch. And, YES, Diesel does live up to his name. He is such a good boy. Sea Witch (musingsofaseawitch.blogspot.com)
ReplyDeleteHi Tom,
ReplyDelete#1
I love my work - How many hours per week do you envision that person working?
I am passionate about my work - How many hours per week do you envision that person working?
I would say someone works 40 hours can still be as passionate as someone that works 50 or 30. It's all about what you do with the time.
#4
Do you have any general feelings or ideas on how you would compare these two terms?
I feel like love is something that is just in you, it's inherent. Passion is something you gain during your life for something you love.
Thanks :o)
I LOVE PASSIONATELY my family, friends, my life's work and every moment of my life for to me the alternative would be a life lead in mediocrity.
ReplyDeletePeople can feel love and passion about their jobs, children, hobbies, but most importantly these are shown in relationships. Some people get confused as to which of these two are most important within their relationships of a spouse or a partner. Love is basic, passion is so much deeper.
ReplyDeletei think passion is something that comes naturally from within, and loving something, is something you're maybe good at or accustomed to
ReplyDeleteI think passion is love plus a considerable amount of heat and energy. So I think passion is a high-test version of love. That's my take on these feelings.
ReplyDeleteHi I liked your comment over at Arle Bird's and decided to check you out. Love your blog. I don't think making jokes at the expense of others is NOT funny. I am conservative and respectful and deman to be treated in kind. Please visit me anytime.
ReplyDeleteYes, love is like ice cream or whatever, you "love" it, but passion is the chemical, the drive, the power, the enthusiasm!
ReplyDeleteThe word passion is drawn to an intense love of doing what a person loves to do. The amount of time spent is more than doubled as if he is obsessed of what he loves doing.
ReplyDeleteI think people who are passionate about their work will put in more time and energy (for a while) than those who love their work. But I see true love as lasting longer than passion.
ReplyDeleteI think love is a feeling, passion is a 'doing'! One passive, one active! so if you love your job you feel good doing it! if you are passionate about your job you do it with all you are and all you have! YOU may spend the same amount of time, but the level of emotion is different.
ReplyDeleteI suspect it mostly depends on who is saying the words and their own personal definitions of the two terms. To my way of thinking, love is a broader term and encompasses a range of intensity, including passion.
ReplyDeleteHi Tom. Thank you for your continued comments on my site:)#4 I think you can be passionate about many things yet have no love. It's fascinating that one can have a cause a passion out of obligation (like doing something at the request of a parent) and yet not love the cause. Or be passionate about something you believe in (that may be a bias)and not have love in your heart. Passion seems to be more of the Superego and what is the right thing to do and love is more of the Id, basic emotion. Interestingly they both drive each other. They can exist without each other. But when they are together they drive and feed off of each other. Good question.
ReplyDeleteInteresting questions. I use the words "love" and "passion" interchangeably. To me, they mean the same thing. I am passionate about anything I love and I love anything I am passionate about.
ReplyDeleteLoving ones work would make it pleasant to go there every day.
ReplyDeletePassionate about your work might imply its all you live for and would give more than is required to achieve the goals of the job.
I think love is more enduring than passion, although passion can appear deeper. Passion requires intensity, and therefore eventually will burn out (or burn us out).
ReplyDeleteI also think love is about balance, whereas passion is love out of balance. When we feel passsionate about something we will devote alot of time and energy to it to the detriment of other important areas of our lives. What we love we will always come back to, even after tempoary (passion induced) abscences.
Very interesting questions!
Definitely passion seems to be the more powerful word - possibly because love is so overused, and appears closely connected to hate (fine line between love and hate). Interesting post!
ReplyDeleteI feel that between passion and love, there is quite a fine line. But with love, when the passion fades, the love goes. It is the passion in any endeavor that keeps us loving it and wanting to indulge in it. It does not matter if we are passionate about charity or family or friend. What matters is that we are passionate, because that is where true love lies.
ReplyDeleteNevine
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteGood questions. I want to be passionate about my next line of work. I doubt I would love it. I am passionate about blogging (AKA blogaholic), but I don't think I'd say it's the same as "I love blogging." I love my (new) fiance and am fond of our passion but doubt that I'd say I am passionate about my fiance. Interesting comparison between two words. If someone finds their passion or love, I think they are very lucky in life.
ReplyDelete