Passion Burns Deeper Than Any Ocean

 I’m off the deep end. Watch as I dive in. I’ll never meet the ground. Crash through the surface, where they can’t hurt us. We’re far from the shallow now. 
Song Lyrics: Shallow by Lady Gaga & Bradley Cooper

This song has been playing over and over on my “favorite” playlist. I can’t get it out of my head. No matter how you view the line above–personal, professional, educational…it fits. When we put ourselves out there, we are in fact “far from the shallow.” It seems to relate to my Cannonball In Theory, and I think that is why this line strums a real chord within my heartstrings. 

I love the movie, A Star is Born. Wow! Incredible on every level. 

I’ll not spoil the movie, but as I reflect, I believe cannonballers often have hearts that are so full of passion they are nearly consumed with fire. It has proven true over and over. When I meet individuals FULL of passion, it is undeniable, and nothing can stand in the way of them fulfilling their purpose. I’m convinced their chest would literally explode if they tried to calm the flames that desire to be shared and spread with the world. 

As I watched this movie and pondered the song lyrics above, I began to think…

Passion Burns Bright in the Deep End.

When one cannonballs into the “deep end,” if you will, that individual’s heart burns far beneath the surface. It must fight the water that surrounds its every valve and vein. Each rush of water attempts to stop the flames. Each wave and splash threaten to dampen the flares. It’s a constant battle. 

That is often what it feels like when we take massive leaps in our REAL world. We are in the deep end, and the water represents those around us–the critics, the naysayers, the “let’s not disrupt the peace” pals, the “I like how we’ve always done it” friends, and the rigid “norms” that often stifle growth. Each threatens to quench our burning passion for doing something dynamic because they find it difficult to appreciate the risk and/or the journey it will take to achieve that purpose. Keep in mind, extraordinary things rarely come without a struggle. Isn’t that what adds the “extra” to ordinary?

The Deep End is a Lonely Place.

It’s just you and your heart. It’s where you ponder who you are, your value, your real purpose. It’s where you understand the importance of swimming as if your life depends on it–because it does. It’s also a place where your thoughts seem crystal clear. You often think about those who matter most in your life. With each stroke you push doubt behind you, you push fear behind you, you push anything that threatens to take the life from your burning heart behind you. 

Then, when you reach the surface and take that first breath, you realize why it was worth the fight. You begin to understand how all of the water in the world could never stop your passionate heart aflame; there is truly nothing that can quench your purpose in this thing called life. It burns deeper than any ocean. 

“Far From the Shallow”

However, you also notice how “far from the shallow” you really are. Your journey in the deep isn’t over. It’s time to swim! Let your passion drive your strokes. Swim to make a difference in the world around you. Swim for those you love; never forget their place within your passionate heart. Swim for those you serve. Swim! You’ve got this!

We must be intentional never to let the “water” come in and quench our passion. The intense glow within our heart causes movement–action–not just professionally but in our personal life, as well. Passion fuels the desire to act and not to sit idly while life passes us by. 

Passion burns deeper than any ocean; don’t let anyone or anything put out your fire! For REAL. Let your passion burn bright and light up the world in extraordinary ways!