Last night, I had the opportunity to attend a “Stallions Parade” hosted by Darley Stallions at Jonabell Farms in Lexington, Kentucky. Darley is owned by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who is one of the richest men in the world – like somewhere in the neighborhood of $80 billion in net worth.
This was an invitation only party for 500+ very knowledgeable horse people, drinking fine wine and eating fine food. Without question, there were a lot of very “successful”, very influential “horse-people” in the crowd. I have no doubt most of them recognize great thoroughbreds with impeccable bloodlines. They live deeply engrossed in the world of horses, horse breeding and horse racing. But, as I watched them; observed their body language; and listened to their words as we watched this parade, I saw something missing.
I could be wrong; but as they seemed to appreciate the beauty and majesty of these beautiful stallions; they lacked passion in their response to them. On the other hand, I could not suppress my emotional reaction to these multi-million dollar superstars in the horse business. One or two actually left me speechless with their size, grace and style.
Would I like to win the Kentucky Derby? Absolutely! Would I like to win many races and live comfortably the rest of my life? You bet!
But “living with passion” is not “wanting to be successful; making money; or winning the Kentucky Derby”. Those are goals and we often mistakenly call “our goals” “our passions”. The emotion that moves us is “our passionate living”; but our goals are not an emotion. Goals are a target for accomplishment, not how we go about achieving our goals. The emotion – our passion – is how we live while we try to accomplish our goals.
I’m talking about “being passionate”, not having a passion. When we are passionate, our accomplishment does not determine the benefit to our life. It’s the passion that counts! Living life with passion is what matters. And I believe when we live passionate lives, others will be affected.
As parents, our lives will do more to teach our children than our lectures!
As friends, our passionate displays of compassion will demonstrate love more than our promises of action.
And as a member of society in general, our passion distinguishes us in a passionless world of passionless individuals.
Live passionately today!
If anyone has had the chance to watch you interact with your horses they can tell that you have the passion and the love for them. I have not been around horses much in my life but seeing the pictures and reading the words so eliquently written in your book shows that love. You are truly THE Horse Whisperer.
Dana, thank you; but I think they speak to me, much more than I speak to them. I do know that God speaks to me through the intricacies and qualities of these amazing creatures that He seemed to have created just for me.