Among the oranges, the lemons, the grapefruits, the pecans and the macadamia nuts in our yard, there is also the passion fruit. This delicacy is different than the others. It grows on vines piled atop the awning outside our front door. When the fruit is ripe and heavy, it dangles at eye level, enticing us to reach up and pluck it from its stem. It is an unknown fruit to me, and the texture looks questionable, to be honest. It may be bitter inside. Or it could be sweet.I think about the passion fruit a lot, as I pass by it every morning. It reminds me that I need to make a better effort to find my passion here. I need to try new things, or old things in new places.
I am by nature a passionate person. I latch on to people, activities, goals, causes, and I throw my whole self into them. Just ask Pat – he’ll tell you how worked up I can get about something as simple as chia seeds and how they are going to change the world.
I had a lot of passions before we moved. I was very passionate about my work and felt that what I was doing had an impact on people’s lives. I was passionate about finding a cure for Alzheimer’s disease and I was a dedicated volunteer and fundraiser. I was passionate about fitness and running and seeing how far I could push myself. I was passionate about cooking and clean eating. I was passionate about friends and family, and made sure I had FUN with them all the time.
I'm still passionate about all of these things! But in a new town, it’s much harder to actualize that passion. Things are unfamiliar. I don’t know anybody. There are different barriers to break down. Excuses, excuses! At the start of this new, exciting year, here are my goals for finding my passion again:
- Make friends. You know, just make some friends! Hardest thing ever. For Christmas, I gave Pat and myself a stocking stuffer: a membership to the "20s and 30s Social Club of Orange County." It sounds totally cheesy, but actually it’s just a group on meetup.com, which is a great website for getting out there. They organize really fun activities, like trampoline dodgeball, beach bonfires, karaoke nights and brewery tours. The group has a lot of members who are new to the area, so hopefully we’ll find some fun kids to hang with. We also joined the Missouri State University alumni association, and already they have planned a mixer for alumni in the Los Angeles area in January. That should be fun. Also good for Pat’s business networking.
- Volunteer. I had wanted to wait to reach out to the local chapter of the Alzheimer's Association until after the “walk season,” when they are busy with the Walk to End Alzheimer’s. The walk season was in the fall, so now I have no excuse. Time to get involved.
- Join a gym. This one may have to wait a little while, because those darn initiation fees are expensive. But I love being a part of a good gym, and group fitness classes are one of the best ways to make friends, in my experience. Yoga and weight-lifting and kick-boxing and tai chi and Zumba, here I come.
- Commit to running. It’s not as easy as stepping outside my front door like it used to be. Our neighborhood is too poorly lit and while it’s not unsafe, I just don’t feel at ease when I run here. So, I will have to make an effort to get to a trail or a treadmill, but that’s okay. It’s worth it.
The neat thing about having food growing outside your front door is that you are always aware of its progress. The tiny buds, the new leaves, the green rind slowly edging to purple – every stage happens before your eyes. I am making progress too. And soon, I’ll be brave enough to taste the passion fruit. Maybe I’ll even bake a pie.
Title lyrics – Lisztomania, Phoenix
