Apples, Temporary License Plates and Books

On my way to work today, I got behind a car with a "temporary license plate." New car, going a bit slower than the rest of the traffic for a while. From looking at the driving, I would guess that the new driver was getting used to the car. In short order, the car was behaving like the other cars. One thing stuck in my mind, though. There was a small "Apple Computer" logo already affixed to the back window of the car.

Now, I did not think, "Stupid SOB, spent way too much for a computer." Or, "Darned you, not getting random errors or paying Microsoft to beta test their software." This was not about Apple Computer. It was about passion.

To think, on a new car, the owner chose to place a sticker professing their allegiance to a computer company – and an assumption I am making is that the driver is passionate about the computer. To get a new car straight from the showroom and place the sticker on the window – that indicates some type of passion.

I grinned a little when I thought about it. Grinned because I thought it was so fitting, to have the symbol of an apple being the object of passion. Adam and Eve – the fruit in the Garden of Eden and all. It just gave me time to grin. I know that the fruit of the Garden of Eden was not named, and it almost was not certainly an apple. I think it is probably a pomegranate. I mean, if you are going to damn the world to hell, might as well do it for a really great piece of fruit. That's what my grandmother always used to say.

Passion is so important, yet we don't really talk about passion all that often. I like the idea about different religions because what drives me, doesn't necessarily drive you. One thing that we assume that is not true is that different local churches from the same religious denomination have a similar look and feel, a similar view of the religious tenants. But this is not always the case. And what I find most important for me is my passion for my religion. I did not find passion with other churches – not that I agree with every tenant of my church, but it is where I am most passionate.

I know someone who is passionate about lawn care. For me, er, I am not sure why, but he loves lawn care. He has enough money to pay someone to mow his lawn, but he chooses to do it because it gives him some sort of satisfaction. He spends time fertilizing it, watering it, poisoning the weeds, whatever. And when he cuts the grass, he gets some type of satisfaction. He is absolutely passionate about his lawn. For me, walking barefoot in his lawn would be where my passion would lie. Nothing but a lawn that looks more like a deep green carpet or a professional putting green.

Passion. That's what we need more of! And, boys and girls, I would find more passion in a book than between the sheets. The joy of finding an obscure text or forgotten story. I am absolutely passionate about books!