Don't let your passion's consume you!

Did you know that in the Greek language they use five different words to convey the meaning of the word Love? I kind of like this because I say that I love hot dogs and that I love my children, but I don't feel the same way about the two. Sometimes when we talk about things we love,we mean things we are passionate about. Passion does not need to be looked on as a bad emotion; it can often be a great driving force. The question we need to ask ourselves is, "Do my passions consume my life?"
All of us need to focus on those things that must be done in our daily lives ( like working at our job because it pays the bills or taking classes in college because they are required to graduate). In most cases, we try to find ways to escape from these duties. Our passions help fill the need we have for escape. There is a large array of hobbies that we can be passionate about, but how much of our time do we spend in our passions? All passions are not created equal. Some can turn those passions into products or ideas and make a living or an abundance of wealth. Many others are passionate about giving of their time and can make improvements in the lives of others through charities. But for many of us our passions are about pursuing enjoyment and when we forget to balance our lives, we end up wasting large amounts of time. Though enjoyments are not inherently bad, when we neglect all of our other duties or relationships it becomes bad, but do we allow these passions to consume our lives?
When you come home from work it is important to remember that you weren't the only one with a tough day. We ought to be considerate of the hardships our wives have to endure while we are away earning the bread. *Note to all wives: though we ought to help out when we get home, there is an adjustment period men need to help us transition from work to family life. If you will give your man 15 minutes of time to unwind when he gets home he will be more inclined to pitch in with family responsibilities, unless he has had one of those days......or he is a total bum.* In order not to spend all day away from our families at work and then shut ourselves off from them the rest of the day with our passions, I thought of a few ideas that might help.
First, turn your passion into your career. There are many people who have turned what they love to do, into what they do for a living. If you have passion that you feel you need to fulfill, then find a away to make money doing it. If you spend 8 hours or more away from home working you might as well be doing what you love. Doing this will free up your spare time to include the other things that are important in life. Second, some passions could be best realized if one donates their time and talent to help others. This is a very honorable pursuit but if you have obligations that have to be met, (ie...wife, children, or previous obligations) then you need to use moderation. It is only fair to your wife or future spouse to be forthcoming about your passions, so she knows what she is getting into ahead of time. If you find yourself drawn to something after you are married, do not enter into it without talking it over with her. Otherwise, you are going to find yourself creating conflict. To you wives, we men want to provide for you and we believe that we could do it better if we were doing what we loved, but we cannot do it without your support and prayers, but if you are completely against the idea, please remember to be gentle with our egos.