Jeff Harris

I don't have much time since I have to head to work, but I couldn't leave before posting this article/video I found on Huffington Post.





Jeff Harris is an inspirational human being and artist. If I could devote just 5 minutes of my day to creating something, like he has done, I can't imagine what I would come up with. I am not big on New Year's resolutions--they seem trite and petty--but perhaps this will be a life resolution. So often I spend my day focused on what others are doing or saying and most of the time this is self-destructive behavior. Perhaps if I dedicated that time to being constructive and creative, I would end up with something absolutely beautiful and wonderful like Harris' work.

Interest vs. Passion

I have always envied "passionate" people. People who cannot keep themselves from following/fostering/developing their passion. I find that I am interested in so many things (too many things, even), but don't really know if I'm passionate about any one thing. I'm sure that there is a concert pianist somewhere who started playing at 4-years-old, because they couldn't keep themselves from the keys, that is wishing they could tear themselves away to paint, to cook or to run, but I'm doubtful. It just seems, from the outside, that those with a passion just have a better sense of direction, a life goal that drives them constantly.

I discovered yet another one of those passionate people in a Huffington Post article. Meet Mark Boyle.




Mark Boyle was an economics and business student who decided in his last year of school that the only way he could change the world was to live entirely without money. Amazing. He, like Colin Beavan (aka--No Impact Man), have been so moved my our culture's lack of care and awareness about the environment and the priorities of the commercialized masses that they make drastic change.

While I wish I was so moved to be this passionate about a similar cause, I--as I said previously--have rarely developed such passion, such dedication. So, the only thing I can do is do my best, in small amounts. I can only act as a person interested in changing, but not quite passionate about it just yet. I have already started bike-riding at least 3-4 times a week when traveling to places close enough and safe enough to bike to. I have begun doing most of my grocery shopping at the local co-op grocery store, buying local and organic when possible. I also have not bought a piece of clothing or shoe-ware in over a month (and for those that know me, that is quite a feat).

Passion requires commitment. While I cannot yet commit to many things--being an artist, being an environmentalist, being a professional--I can be interested in them. Baby steps to passion, as Bob Wiley would say.