Passion/Place/Purpose

This morning I had a quality of life conversation with a friend of mine. During our conversation he said to me "Rashid there is a difference between passion and place...to often we remain in a place to long and we allow the place to taint our passion! When he said that it resonated deep within me and I immediately begin to think about how place and passion is connected with purpose. I want to dig into each of these concepts to hash out the revelation that came from his comment.
Passion is defined as a strong emotion or feeling towards a person or thing. Passion has many ways of manifesting itself in our lives as humans. We can be passionate about a person we love or desire. We can be passionate about a form of artistic expression. Also, we can be passionate about a cause, a line of work, career or profession. In our conversation my friend and I were speaking of passion in the latter sense. He used his passion for graphic design as an example. He is sure that that is the type of work that provides him the greatest satisfaction and accomplishment.
Place is defined as a area with definite and indefinite boundaries.  Another definition could be geographical in nature and refer to a specific location.  As we talked my friend spoke of his former "place" of employment as an unhealthy environment that was laden with pressure economically, socially, mentally, and emotionally.  He said that when he would wake up in the morning to prepare to go to that "place" of employment he felt like he was going on the march to death row! Wow what an analogy. However, now that he works in another "place" he wakes up looking forward to going to work.  And yes he is still doing the same kind of work that he was doing in the former "place".
Purpose is defined as the reason why something is created or intended for.  Often, in a vocational sense purpose is connected with one's passion.  Most human beings try to connect this two principles in an attempt to live a fulfilling life.  How does place play a role in this discussion?  Well place is the location in which one carries out that vocation, which is connected to one's passion and purpose.
The challenge my friend brought to my attention was the fact that we to often allow the place we are in to overtake or pollute or passion and purpose.  If the place is unhealthy we begin to question our passion and purpose.  We begin to look for another passion and purpose verses looking for another place!  Nothing really changed about what you are passionate about our the purpose in which you feel connected to, it is simply the place!
Just like a guest can wear out his/her welcome a place can exceed it's intention or necessity in one's journey. To often we create artificial boundaries of comfort or fear that keep us locked in a place only to deny ourselves the fulfillment we so deeply desire.  We need to be willing to say "It's time to move on my time in this place has come to an end."  As i type this I'm reminded of a conversation I had with my co-worker yesterday about her plans next year and her words echoed that sentiment.  Passion, place, and purpose are connected in a tapestry of being!  To live passionately is to live with purpose and to live we have to operate in places where our passion and purpose are needed...