The Tail Wagging Truth About Passion & Purpose

There’s something magical about watching someone or somedog do what they love. For me, that someone was Spice. Whether she was swimming in the lake by our house (which she did daily all summer long every year), chasing squirrels (her absolute favorite passion), or digging enormous holes in my garden to then lie in, she knew what brought joy to her soul (and mine). She didn’t hesitate. She didn’t ask permission. She owned and claimed her dreams and passions. She chased what lit her up inside.

Spice didn’t just chase squirrels. She hunted them with the precision of a silent ninja and the heart of a warrior. She meticulously studied them from a distance. Once spotted, she then stalked them like a sniper, slow and steady, each pawstep deliberate and calculated, eyes locked in with razor-sharp focus. She moved with a kind of wild grace that was undetected until the very second she pounced with explosive energy, running like a panther set free. Watching her taught me something powerful: pursuing your life’s work and passion isn’t about racing to the finish line or being the loudest one in the room (or getting the most likes on social media). Spice instinctively knew that life is all about “the journey” and making an impactful contribution to better the world through your unique talents and passions along the way.  It’s about clarity of vision. It’s about being patient, strategic, and fiercely committed to your future and best self, waiting to be created. Like Spice, we must move through life with purpose and determination, study our path, stay focused, and pursue our dreams with all our heart and soul.

And it is important to point out that Spice never actually wanted to hurt the squirrels she chased. For her, it wasn’t about the catch; it was about the chase, the journey, and the wisdom extracted from it. It was play, pure and simple; a joyful, instinctive game that lit her up from the inside out. She wasn’t driven by aggression, but by following her bliss and creativity. In the same way, pursuing our passions doesn’t always have to be about “winning” or “achieving” or “success”. Sometimes, it’s about the aliveness we feel when we’re fully engaged, heart racing, eyes focused, chasing what lights us up just because we love it and feel inspired. And it is also about connecting with and inspiring others as they pursue their passions.

My passion has always been writing. Creating. Reflecting. Inspiring and in recent years, healing (not just myself, but hopefully others too) through my words. I’ve learned that passion doesn’t always arrive with a trumpet blast or flashing neon sign with blaring lights. Sometimes it shows up quietly, with a warm dog curled up by your feet or on your lap, as you click away at the keys of your computer late at night, writing from your heart to literary agent after literary agent for months on end, while the rest of the world sleeps.

After Spice passed, I felt lost and empty, and even lost my identity for a brief moment. For four days, I prayed for a sign that she was happy and at peace, that her spirit was still close by, and that she knew how much I loved her. On the fourth day, I stumbled upon an old thumb drive and forgotten relic of a dozen years of memories, videos and photos of us. As I clicked through them, there it was: an image from a decade ago of Spice, resting nearby, watching me read and write at the computer late at night. And in that moment, I just knew. That photo of us wasn’t simply a memory. It was the sign I was waiting for and the dream I had tucked away of becoming a writer. Why did I drop the ball on my passion so long ago? Because life happened along the way as I was putting myself through college, raising two children as a single mom, and working two jobs to make ends meet. 

But this moment of discovering the thumb drive (coupled with my children in college, working my dream job, and being in a much different place in life) sparked the birth of this website and woke me up from a very long slumber. Spice’s greatest lesson left to me through her recent passing was to believe in myself and to passionately pursue and achieve my dream of being an author. Spice always believed in me and thought I was the best story teller there was. I realized I didn’t need the approval of literary agents to validate my worth or even share my words with others. My gift to this world is my voice, my “Spice stories”, my unique perspective of this world, my words and the heart beating fervently behind them. And thanks to platforms like this, I can share this gift with the world authentically, freely, and unrestricted.

The photo in this post reignited something in me. It reminded me that my passion isn’t just writing. It’s using my writing to connect, to inspire, to heal, and to serve this world. To bring light to the hard days and joy to the quiet ones. Spice may have chased squirrels, but I’m chasing something too: truth, meaning, purpose, connection. I want to heal, help and inspire others to do the same.

So today I offer this: it’s never too late to pursue what makes you feel alive. Your passion doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. We all have special and unique talents to share and serve with. It doesn’t have to be perfect, the right time, profitable or even logical. It just has to be yours. Whether it’s painting, drawing, singing, gardening, hiking, teaching, cooking, or dreaming up stories in the middle of the night follow it. Chase it like your tail depends on it. Spice lived this way. I now do as well. You can too!

And if you’re still unsure of what your passion is? Be still. Listen. Pay attention to what makes you feel happy, alive and lights you up inside. Have fun. Be silly. Get creative. Dig deep inside and find that youthful playful child that still exists inside. And feel free to reach out if you need some inspiration. Spice and I are happy to assist.

In memory of Spice, my spirit animal and North Star.