Oooh I don’t know if I want to get into this. This could be a long one. Right off the hop when I read the prompt I was like hmmm nothing, I’m passionate about nothing. I’m not one of those people. Not an empath, have been described as “cold”, so this is definitely not the prompt for me. I don’t have any really major hobbies that I spend every spare minute on. I wouldn’t say that on a day to day basis I’m really full of passion. I like to know what needs to be done and get it done. No touchy feely stuff.

But.

Then I thought more about it. I remembered how I almost got myself in some very hot water at my last job (as a nurse) with the HR department. Less than a year ago. It would probably be too long of a story to write here, right now, but in short what happened was a patient called me asking for help. What she needed help with was literally food to feed her kids as she was staying far from her community in a boarding home while waiting to have her baby.

She was crying. The food provided at the boarding home was not sufficient and she felt her kids were going hungry. I spent the majority of my day trying to put some things in place for her so that extra meals and groceries would be provided to her and her kids.

I’m trying to leave as many details out as possible but I ended up taking it a step further and I contacted media. The wannabe journalist in me said the world needs to know about this, it needs to be changed, it’s not right.

I didn’t do any interviews as I had the foresight to ask permission from my employer beforehand. That’s when I was shut down by HR and had to meet with them and my manager over this issue. They said it was a confidentiality and a privacy issue. I had mentioned no names of course but anyway, according to them I had taken it too far.

I stand by what I did. I was trying to help, trying to make a change and bring awareness. Sometimes I’m surprised by this passion. The need to try and ensure people are being treated equally. The need to make sure nobody is left behind. I’m passionate about human rights especially when it comes to the underdog.

When I hear that someone is treated unfairly or been taken advantage of, it makes my blood boil. In this way, I’ve been an advocate for people over the years. That’s what I’m passionate about I guess.