"I've never heard anyone have an opinion on a Z-Bar before," my friend remarked to me the other day after I went on a rant about how difficult they are to maneuver. I've always had this energy and opinion on everything I see. For me, there's never any gray. It's black or white. Left or right. Yes or no. And with that being said I will defend my view until the end. Even if I am wrong.

I've always been told that passion is a good thing, that this fire inside of me is what keeps me young, keeps me going. But there's a caveat sometimes... I don't know when to back down. I don't know when to hold my tongue or hold my anger. I am a short fuse most of the time.

There's a Bible verse that says "Be slow to anger," and that's always one that has given me pause. I am always the first to anger. The first to fight. The first to defend. This has given rise to a great many troubles. I've written about a lot of them.

You see, I'm kind of contradictory. I hate gray area, but I love writing and interpretations of what I read. I ground myself in that uncertainty. I have opinions, sure, and as long as I can back it up with facts, it's right. But someone else could draw the completely opposite conclusion, back it up with facts, and be just as "correct" as I am.

The problem with passion is this: it's hard to overcome.

I am quick tempered and I have opinions on mundane ordinary things. There really isn't anything you can do once my mind is made up. You have to work at it. Force yourself into other people's shoes and look at where they stand and why they see the world that way.

Passion is a fire that can eat you up inside if you don't kindle it, nurse it, and know when to put it out. I've spoken many a time against a friend and it has only burned myself, not them, with my fire.

Just because you don't have the same idea or view as someone else, doesn't mean that they are wrong, it just means it's a learning opportunity to see a different point of view.

I learn through debating and squabbling, but sometimes that passion that convicts me so strongly needs to be snuffed out and instead allow someone else's light to pass through once in a while.