TED Community » Stacey Gonzalez

About Me

I think if I were to even attempt to write down everything I wanted to accomplish and do, from the most mundane to even the most necessary, the Post-it corporation couldn't even begin to suffice my request for slips of paper. To most I'm an unrelenting overachiever, constantly seeking tasks to appease my appetite for work. It's funny how what seems like work to most is probably one of the biggest sources of happiness in my life. It wasn't up until recently that I was asked what my passion was. As I began to contemplate the running list I usually churn out, I gave my response some deeper thought. My Agape( essence of God's love) or passion for that matter, had yet to be defined. I understood I enjoyed running, soccer, skating, and reading, but something I could be self sacrificial for...I was stumped, on my own passion too. Looking back I could've easily said, "well it's helping others". However, that didn't seem right either. Charity was supposed to be something we felt naturally inclined to do for selfless reasons. Labeling it as my passion would result in me expecting some type of merit for doing a said act of kindness. That was not the direction I wanted to take my volunteerism efforts in. I dug deeper as the person prompted me further. Learning was the only thing that stood out amongst my topical responses. When we are born we have natural tendencies, needs, and urges, but it's up to us to learn how to navigate OUR own lives. Whether one chooses to have spite against the world, or defy the odds through their own personal pursuit of enlightenment, learning is what will eventually bring self-empowerment, happiness, and self fulfillment. I believe learning has become my agape as cheesy as that sounds. Whether it's learning from my mistakes, people, text, or life, I see and know nothing else that brings me much greater passion than does the act of learning.