Passion: Purpose?

I’ve always considered myself a very passionate person. When I care about something, when something truly means something to me, everything in me explodes with the desire to make that known. My mind takes a backseat to my heart and nothing can stop me. I can get lost in whatever I’m saying or doing to the point that nothing (and I mean, nothing) else really matters.  On a good day, these moments happen often…and they are most certainly good moments. I “awaken” from them inspired, rejuvenated. I feel like I have just had the greatest opportunity in the world – the opportunity to be me. When these moments aren’t occurring, however, I am plagued by my passion.  My mind can think of nothing else and I’m almost sick with sadness, unable to truly control my emotions enough to function the way I need to. Depression tries to take hold and everything in me feels incomplete and most times unworthy. What does that mean? How do you begin to deal with that? I began thinking about all of this as I read this quote:

“Passion, it lies in all of us, sleeping... waiting... and though unwanted... unbidden... it will stir... open its jaws and howl. It speaks to us... guides us... passion rules us all, and we obey. What other choice do we have? Passion is the source of our finest moments. The joy of love... the clarity of hatred... and the ecstasy of grief. It hurts sometimes more than we can bear. If we could live without passion maybe we'd know some kind of peace... but we would be hollow... Empty rooms shuttered and dank. Without passion we'd be truly dead.” – Joss Whedon

I believe passion is the heart telling the mind where to go, what to start, what this life is supposed to be. Those moments when it seems uncontrollable are the very moments it calls out to us, reminding us of who we are and what we’re supposed to be doing. It’s true, passion can be troubling, but maybe we find at least some peace in striving to live everyday in those passionate moments, becoming who our hearts say we are. 

The Jacksons: The Next Generation

So, you may not know or maybe you do, but there's a new Jackson breaking into the "biz". Austin Brown is the third child of Rebbie Jackson (the older sister of the late, great Michael Jackson) and his album 85 is set to be released sometime this year.  Now, immediately, the question that comes to mind is "is he as good as his uncle?" I think it's a little unfair to automatically compare him to one of the greatest stars of all time, but it's a little hard not to. For one, his vocal approach is similar to his uncle's - light and simple.  If that wasn't enough, he's also a dancer. Now, this is not to say that these characteristics are not present in many, if not all, of the Jacksons, but for right now it's all about Austin Brown. YouTube "experts" declare that he is bringing "real music" back. They're calling him the next Michael Jackson (in my opinion, there was only one and there will never be another Michael Jackson).  Michael Jackson fans seem to be behind him, but I'm not exactly sure. I want to know what you think. Check out his album trailer: 

And it begins...

I went back and forth about this whole blogging idea, but like most things I end up doing...to everything there is a purpose. What is this blog's purpose? A definitive answer to that question remains to be found, but if this blog is at all a reflection of my personality or approach to life, then there will never be a definitive answer. Everything I do emerges from an intense desire to create, hence the name of the blog. Creativity, however, is a very broad concept. In most circles (at least the ones I've encountered) the term creativity references an artistic medium. I'm creative if I'm a musician. I'm creative if I'm a visual artist. I'm creative if I'm a dancer. I'm creative if I'm a poet. In reality, creativity is much broader than these categories acknowledge.  The formation and development of ideas, the presentation of individuality, the ability to navigate through life all require creativity of some sort. In the simplest terms I can muster, this blog is about the various dimensions of creativity, those we acknowledge and those that are sometimes ignored. Because I am neither all-powerful or all-seeing, my life (in other words, my ideas, thoughts, opinions, etc...) will be the mirror through which I reflect on this larger concept. While music is my passion, my heart, my soul...much like "creativity", my interests are multi-dimensional and this blog will be a reflection of that fact.

Now, one thing you should know about me is that I LOVE MUSIC (I don't know if you picked up on that yet) my favorite musician/singer/songwriter/artist, etc...is the GREAT Mr. Stevie Wonder. There is no one like him and there will never be anyone who can fill his shoes. Don't believe me? Let me leave you with just a taste of what this man can do. This footage is from his 2008 Live At Last Concert. He's been performing for YEARS and STILL KILLS!: