That Sounds Fun: The Joys of Being an Amateur, the Power of Falling in Love, and Why You Need a Hobby

by Annie F. Downs

My heart is on my sleeve because in the truest sense of the phrase, that is just how God made me. So I love big and I love a lot. In the same way that wisdom sometimes looks like holding back our words, it also sometimes looks like holding back our love—feeling it, yes, but not allowing it to leak out quite so early—whether it’s a love for a burrito or a dude. But holding back how much I share doesn’t mean I don’t feel it. And the more days I live on this planet, the more I am learning that I don’t have to control my feelings. They are allowed to ride along with me anywhere I go; they just aren’t the best drivers. I need to feel them and hear them and pay attention to them but not let them lead the way. Love can lead though. It’s powerful to let yourself fall in love with something (or someone). It shows a level of vulnerability when you admit to yourself that the emotion you feel is love. For some reason there’s an understanding in Western culture, probably mostly in men but often in women as well, that says we have to hold back our love. Don’t get too excited, don’t get too into something, be balanced and cool and don’t let anyone know how stoked you are. I’m calling a BIG NOPE on that because that’s not being wise; that’s being scared. Scared to stand out. Scared to tell the truth. Scared to really like something that other people don’t really like (that you know of). You want to learn to have fun? FALL IN LOVE. Fall in love over and over every day with something and ma...