what would you do...

...if you could not fail? have you ever heard that before? i have. always thought it was slightly cheesy. i'm not one for INSPIRATION. don't like those posters that say 'Success' or Perseverance' and have dramatic photographs of sunrises. but this one - "what would you do if you could not fail?" has been in my thoughts lately.

i know what i would do. i would be a photographer. i love photography. i've loved it since i took my first photography class in 7th grade. i've loved it since the first time i loaded a film canister in the dark (so much harder than it sounds. this is why i love digital cameras). i've loved it since the first time i put a blank piece of paper in the developer and saw a picture emerge. from a blank piece of paper. it was thrilling.

but like everything else in life, passions get pushed aside. kids, a dog, a family...they all compete for my time and photography is just a hobby to keep me from going crazy on those long winter days when it is too cold or too windy/rainy/snowy to take the kids outside.

but the biggest reason i'm afraid to do it is because i'm afraid that i won't love it anymore. i'm afraid that the business of photography will take away the joy. this happened with my design work. i loved designing invites and cards (and the occasional website) for friends. but as it became a business, it became a major source of stress in my life. instead of friends, i had clients. instead of taking my time i had deadlines. and i slowly stopped doing it. i stopped taking on new jobs, stopped advertising my products and stopped telling people that i designed.

so maybe the question isn't what would i do if i could not fail, but what would i do if i would always have a passion for it.