Now that my kids are college age and living separate lives that don’t legally require our direct involvement on a moment to moment basis, Rob and I are free to find/rediscover our passions.

This time last year we were shuttling our son to his last high school marching band competition. We didn’t get back home until 2:21am from the out of town stadium. The final judging didn’t finish until almost midnight and the stadium was full until the end. I was surprised to discover so many people are passionate about marching bands. I knew why I was there. I had a kid who played trumpet. It is no different than the years I spent perched in bleachers because my kids were into cheerleading, gymnastics, dancing, karate and acting. I am a really good spectator. I can clap and whistle on command. But passionate? Not really.

At the marching band competition I sat next to a mom, dad and grown daughter who paid $10.00 each to attend the all day band competition. They came because they are passionate about marching bands. They got hooked 15 years ago when their oldest son played in his high school band and they never stopped coming. Their son finished college, doesn’t play any instrument anymore, and still they come.

I know people who are passionate about comic books, movies, NASCAR, drag racing, crafting, reading, gardening, writing and animals of all kinds.

That doesn’t even count all my Mormon friends who have glommed onto a favored topic within the church and ran with it. Genealogy, temple work, scouting and choir are the obvious church passions. Don’t forget about the scriptorians , church history researchers, food storage experts (hoarders seem to like that one) and church craft masters who can turn a quote from the Prophet into a matted and framed piece of art that every faithful family must have.

I know some people who are smart enough to work in a job related to their passion. They seem the happiest. My husband’s newest passion is fishing. I don’t know if he would like fishing full time as a job, but I’m confident he would like to try.

I have decided you just never know what will strike someone’s fancy. One person’s ho-hum is another person’s reality show theme. Thank goodness we now have unlimited tv channels and internet available to fully explore every possible quirk and passion.

Right now the closest thing I have to a passion is reading and writing on Mormon Mentality. It is a fun distraction from the day to day grind of being human. I like reading and thinking about the posts and comments. And my favorite part is I don’t have to sit on cold bleachers at 11:37pm, waiting for final scores to enjoy it.