Passion is a lot like desperation: It's a driving, energizing force that can propel us forward.
Living Clean, Chapter 1, “From Despair to Passion”
The gift of despair is not the same for all of us. One member joked: "You can go down any floor on the way to hell." All of us have been driven to SE by despair, pain and fear. And—over time—we manage to harness that energy to turn it into enough passion and excitement—even joy—to help us stay clean another day, grow spiritually, and live creatively and purposefully. .
Living Clean reminds us: "Moving from despair to passion is a matter of the First Step." In despair, we surrender to being powerless against our addiction, and finally surrender to the first steps on our path to a new life and to the purpose of carrying the message of NA. The member continued: “After my initial surrender, the changes I saw in myself fueled my passion for recovery! I was energized by the possibilities of what could come next." Like that original surrender, this conversion from desperation to passion is not a one-time deal. Desperation still happens in recovery. But we can allow it to motivate us, leading us to make the necessary changes in our schedule and reigniting our passion to persevere with purpose.
Passion, like despair, does not manifest itself in the same ways for all of us. Our personality definitely plays a role in how our passion unfolds – and our mood also affects how we experience it. What is fiery, purposeful, and creative passion one day—enthusiasm for support, drive to serve, intense conviction—may look more like silent faith in our agenda or reluctant persistence another day. Although the fires may burn differently, they all push us forward. Also, our passions do not always remain constant. We may revisit things long forgotten and discover new ones. We are free to passionately pursue the things that bring us joy and nurture our spirits—both in the rooms of the NA and out in the world.
Passion is not just a feeling. It is an action that I will use today to move forward in my program, in my relationships, in my purpose.
