2.07.2013

living passively vs. passionately.


there is a gigantic difference, living passively or passionately. for a while I had a hard time choosing between the two. there are so many passionate people who either fall flat on their face pursuing that passion or completely change their mind on how they feel the very next day. so instead of trailing along behind them, I tried the passive lifestyle, regarding everything with a yes, no, or whatever, displaying no emotion or strong feeling toward anything at all. getting through life relying on the music I listened to and the books I read to speak for me, feel for me. not becoming attached to anything or anyone was the easy way out because, frankly, it hurt less; and, frankly, my heart was whole, unbroken. it was also cold and untouched. but once upon a time a girl dreamed about writing books and creating magazines and becoming a role model and reaching out to those without a voice of their own and giving them one. and this girl realized spending her nights dreaming of what she could do in this world while spending her days doing nothing at all and loving nothing at all and hating nothing at all and feeling nothing at all would, in turn, create nothing at all and be nothing at all. to be passionate, burning with love for life and people and purpose, will cause immense heartbreak, pain, disappointment; but living passively will not change the world. there is a choice, with two very different outcomes. and it is true that living passively opposed to passionately is safer for the muscle we call a heart, but is an emotionless life a better life to lead? is our purpose to die with a heart intact and untroubled? I certainly hope not. I hope to leave a piece of my heart in every place I go and with every person I meet. I want to die knowing I loved with everything in me and crushed into a million little pieces by the beauty of this world we live in. what about you?

xoxo

15 comments:

  1. You are the cutest thing, Katie Jo. <3 I adore your work.

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  2. Beautiful. This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately... Living passively definitely is safer and easier. But life is an amazing gift, and it's truly a shame when people don't live it to the fullest.

    xo

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  3. just existing is the safest route. it's wide open and easy, but where will it lead you in the end? I too tried this but then I never encountered excitement, adventure, loss, love, heartache, joy, or passion because I wasn't pursuing it. now, I seek to live, and truly live. it's an awfully big adventure, but it's definitely worth it.

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  4. This is beautiful. This is inspiring. And it's exactly what I needed to hear.

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  5. Oh goodness, you speak my heart, dear. Every.single.word is beautiful and challenges me to live my life passionately. When I pass trom this world to the next, I don't want to have any 'what-ifs' or regrets of things I didn't do because I feared the unknown. xx

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  6. This is so beautifully written. And such a great message, too!
    I especially love this "I hope to leave a piece of my heart in every place I go and with every person I meet."

    Thank you for this!
    -Bethany

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  7. and it is true that living passively opposed to passionately is safer for the muscle we call a heart, but is an emotionless life a better life to lead? is our purpose to die with a heart intact and untroubled? I certainly hope not. I hope to leave a piece of my heart in every place I go and with every person I meet. I want to die knowing I loved with everything in me and crushed into a million little pieces by the beauty of this world we live in.

    I am bawling.

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  8. This? This is so so good. So so inspiring and convicting. Thank you for writing such a beautiful post.

    -Madi

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  9. Oh, Katie, this is so what I needed to read right now. Thank you, thank you, thank you. And yes, living passionately pays off far more than living passively.

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  10. i may or may not be supremely jealous of you and oriana for living so close to each other and being able to hang out togetherwithoutme. still, these shots are gorgeous, and your words are ever beautiful, just like your heart. i shall be content with fun g+ chats and late-night laughs from across the country, k? k. xx

    ( the alcove )

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  11. Katie Jo! This is completely beautiful and I love it sososo much. The thing is: the more you open yourself up to pain and loss, the more you open yourself up to happiness. You can't close yourself off from the unpleasant emotions without also closing off the good ones, too. Living passionately is full of risk, but why live any other way, right? xoxo.

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  12. this post made me think of the following quote:

    “To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”
    -C.S. Lewis

    thanks for posting this – we all need the reminder to not settle for living passively. because this is the only life we've got. :)

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  13. Kay-tea, you wonderful writer and creative soul. This is amazing. <3

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  14. Katie...
    I don't know what to say.
    I'd love to say a lot but I can't.
    Katie. Girrrrl.

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