Origin Stories

What have I done that has been hard, but totally worth it?

I get what you’re trying to do here. You write this beautiful piece about the trials and tribulations of parenthood, and then I’m left to compare it to my life long quest to find the perfect grilled cheese sandwich. And while I believe history will appreciate my sacrifice, for the time being, it just doesn’t stack up against the virtues of fatherhood. What I’m saying is, you may have won the battle, but the war is cheesy, delicious, and it doesn’t burn the roof of your mouth.

I’ve been thinking about your question a lot. And I keep coming back to superhero origin stories. Because nobody is more passionate and driven about a single cause than a superhero. Why is that? Well, something significant happened that inspired their obsession for justice. Bruce Wayne watched his parents get shot in a back alley. Peter Parker’s indifference got his uncle killed and Superman’s entire planet was destroyed….right? I don’t know. I don’t really watch superhero movies. But the point is, something happened that set them on their path. And this happens in real life all the time, with non super people. I’m sure there are inspiring answers to the question, what made you want to become a doctor? a lawyer? a teacher? What made you want to adopt? Donate? Protest? Volunteer?

Here is where my challenge comes in…I don’t have any inspirational answers to any of those questions. Don’t get me wrong…I have beliefs and opinions. If you want to talk politics or religion or philosophy, I can do that. But if I’m being 100% honest, there is very little conviction, or drive behind any of my answers. As a part of a job interview, I was asked “If you won the lottery tomorrow, and no longer HAD to work, what would you do with the rest of your life?” And I’ll be honest, I was stumped. Maybe it’s because life has been too easy. I haven’t had a traumatic, life forming event. Instead of watching a mugger shoot both my parents in a back alley, I was raised comfortably by two adoring parents who loved each other as much as their kids. Woe is me.

So I’m wondering a few things: How do you think people find their passions? What do you do when you don’t have any? What would you do if you won the lottery?….and how do you make the perfect grilled cheese?