What is passion and what evokes it? Is it a desire of an object or person? Is it a job or pastime? Do you benefit from it monetarily?
Passion is an emotion within. It is a spiritual level and can be tranquility or rage. It is the pride and honor that swells beyond rushes of adrenaline. It soars over zeal. It is your only focus. It is the highest expression of your belief.
The Tour de France is not a race, but a passion. It has been so for a century. It may initially stimulate favoritism for an individual, a team, and even a nation. As it consumes you, individuals, teams, and countries may no longer be pertinent. At this point, passion has reached a depth of comfort. Passion has converted segments of the event to universal bond of fulfillment and enjoyment.
Think beyond consecutive winnings or competitor comparisons. Realize this event is a culmination of 100 years of passion. Glory, honor, pride, patriotism, sorrow, frustration, anger, pain, accomplishment, sacrifice, loyalty, respect, tribute, love, joy, camaraderie, are products and ingredients of passion.
With the start of the Tour, think of the all the participants from the famous to the unknown domestique. Their passion allows us to convert a bicycling event to our own internal bundle of emotions…good luck and a safe race to all!
