Pleasures vs. Passions

I definitely agree with Stacie Orrico's MORE TO LIFE ("There's got to be more to life than chasing down every temporary high to satisfy me…"), pleasures are needed, too. True, life is about having passions. They're hard and they cost. They cost time spent working and practicing. They give us fleeting moments of great joy, but at least as many moments of great sorrow. After all, the literal meaning of "passion" is "suffering."

So, to balance the pain, we need our pleasures. Unlike passions, pleasures are almost always satisfying – as long as we don't over satiate. (Sleep is pleasurable – until we've had enough. Ice cream is pleasurable – until we don't want any more.) The pleasures are things we enjoy seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. Like the pleasurable moment I had yesterday with our French Bulldog, Kihei.

It was unexpectedly cool. One of those times when the senses combine. I had thrown Kihei a stick a bunch of times. (She finds great pleasure in running after a stick, then gnawing on while I try to yank it from her. I don't get it. But then, I'm not a dog.) She was hot and panting. So I lifted it her up to a drinking fountain. (Don't worry. She never touch touches the fountain. She only laps at the water.)

So there I was, listening to her drink. Watching her. Holding her. Smelling her. It was a "non-sought after" pleasure. I wasn't seeking it. It just happened.