THE [PASSION] FRUIT

By Andrew Freeman British School Principal

When asked to write a piece about Passion, I wanted to share my own thinking to help others in our community find, or explain, their own passion(s). For me, passion makes me who I am. It is not a passion for personal success. It is not a passion for personal recognition. It is a passion to be true to myself, my own well-being and the well-being of others [service]. It is a passion to create an environment in schools where individual students, teachers and community members feel that they belong and a place where they can find individual success(es).

As a starting point for this piece, I reflected on what the word passion actually means. Strangely, the first thing that came to mind was the passion fruit; an innocent, less-common fruit, that packs a whole lot of flavour and excitement. A fruit that has a ‘tough outer rind’ and a ‘juicy seed-filled centre’. Interestingly too, the name of the flower associated with the passion fruit comes from a missionary connection:

…[The name] originated with Christian missionaries who noted that various parts of the unusual flower are symbolic of the Passion of Jesus Christ (the last hours of his life, including the Crucifixion). The purple and white wiry filaments of the corona represent the crown of thorns, the five stamens represent the five wounds of the crucified Christ, and the three styles recall the nails that pinned him to the cross. [2]

I appreciated this connection. It links to our missionary history and reflects the passion of Christ; this connects well to our school where our Core Values (linked to the attitudes of Christ) are so important. Indeed, I think it is a set of values that keeps our passion in check, allowing us to make decisions that resonate with the self, whatever the circumstance.

As well as the flower, I also thought about the fruit. The fruit with the ‘tough outer rind’ and the ‘juicy seed-filled centre’. I wondered: how does this relate to us as individuals? I reflected: what does this mean to me? If I had passion, did I also have a ‘tough outer rind’ and a ‘juicy, seed-filled centre’? I think I do; I think we do, in a good way.

First of all, I am a person for whom values are important. Perhaps these are the seeds. They are within me. They are what I hope to sow to help grow others. They cannot be put to one side to wither as they will miss the purpose they are meant to serve. Instead, they are held by the outer rind and flesh to feed who I am, helping me grow and make decisions to find belonging and success for myself and others. I think we each have values [seeds] within us that nourish and grow who we are, allowing for passion in the things that matter to us most.

The juicy flesh is perhaps all of those things that provide flavour to life; it packs that punch, engages excitement. These could be the things that fulfil me; that resonate with who I am.

Situations that bring joy and opportunity and hope. For me, there could be many parts that make up the flesh: from my personal life to my professional life, from being myself to being my family, from being ‘me’ to being ‘community’. In all of these unique aspects of who I am, I have a passion. If passion did not exist for these things, they would not be a part of my flesh; a part of my being. From helping build a school community, to riding my bike; these are the things I have a passion for. They are under my skin…

…that ‘tough outer rind’. I wasn’t sure about this term, but then it made sense. The flesh makes my unique self. The seeds are my values. The tough outer rind then protects these. It keeps me true to myself. It keeps me feeling fulfilled. Where life brings challenge, my values remain protected and support me. At times, responses to challenges are accepted by others and there are times when they are not. This I accept. We all have passion within us but that does not always mean we have a passion for the same things. Neither does it mean that we should dilute it. Our tough outer rind remains when things turn out differently to where our passion lies allowing us to live those values we hold, such as acceptance and compassion.

The tough outer rind also helps protect the flesh, the juicy parts that fulfil me and bring me joy. For example, last February I was diagnosed for a second time with prostate cancer. The first time was just over 10 years ago, when I was 40. I knew this time that it was not good news. I knew it could bring me down and that I could lose sight of the things that keep me as me; my passions. I needed my tough, outer rind to keep those things that make me from leaking out and being lost. Through this period, I focused on my passion for my family, my passion for exercise and my passion for bringing a school community together. Now I’m nearing the end of two courses of cancer treatment, still feeling fulfilled and hoping for a positive outlook in the future.

So, the word passion resonates with me. I know more about who I am and why I do what I do. Calling it a tough outer skin is not a negative reflection but one that portrays a safe casing that supports a fulfilling, resonating and passionate life. A life in service of myself and others. I hope that is what you each see, feel and connect with me too. I also wonder what lies beneath the ‘outer skin’ for you? What are your seeds? What makes your flesh? I’d be happy to share a passion-ade with you to talk about these things if anyone is interested.

References:

[1] www.healthline.com/nutrition/passion-fruit#what-it-is

[2] www.britannica.com/plant/purple-passion-fruit]