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Obsessions Are Not Demons

“Color is my day-long obsession, joy, and torment.” Claude Monet

As artists we are, in some way or another, obsessed with different things in life that either consumes or inspires. It pushes us to create more, or less, in order to satisfy this internal need to express something. Other people do everything they can through different channels of expression: working until the wee hours in the morning or playing all sorts of sports that challenge their bodies to their fullest potential. But all in all, we all dwell in this realm of obsession where we feel like we owe it the world to create anything at all. 

 But what does it mean to be obsessed with something? With people telling us to live a "balanced life", is it still a good, or bad thing to be totally obsessed with one thing? Is it a product of our design, or is it something we take in from the world? 

Obsession starts with something; a directive, a push, or a passion that comes from doing something you either enjoy, or can't help yourself from doing. Each one was asked to be obsessed about their talents, and to act upon it according to what they perceive is right. The Bible talks about obsession in one of Jesus' lectures about the Parable of the Talents. In summary, it was a story of three people given a directive to "hold on" to talents for their master. Each of them did what they saw fit with the talents given to them, but they were all of them quite obsessed in three different ways by it. The first one saw potential and went beyond his comfort zone. The second worked with what he had. The third, was afraid, and did nothing. 

It was this story that gave me an idea that obsession is in itself innocent. However, it is a great tool to either do something great or destructive. It is something that gives us great power, joy, and torment, as Monet said, because, depending on how much we acknowledge how important our obsessions are to our lives, we are pushed day-by-day to live by it. And no matter how much we deny ourselves our obsessions, they will always be at the back of our minds for the rest of our lives. 

 What obsesses you day by day? Are you doing all that you can to make sure they guide your life? Are you pleasing God with your obsessions? Let me know! 


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