I’ve been spending a couple weeks in Northern Sweden and the Lapland region, which also means experiencing things that aren’t usually on my radar (see snowmobiling). Last week, I opened up the papers, saw an ad for a “cow exhibition” and totally had to check it out so on Sunday, we drove to the tiny village of Öjebyn. Here are more photos on my Sweden.se photo blog.

I remember when I was bidding for a spot to go to the North Pole – a lifelong dream of mine. The amazing show of support from friends, family, and strangers was humbling to say the least. People left notes to commiserate with me on the experience, many wishing they’d done more, which to me was already more than enough.

But one of the notes I received touched me on a deeper level and I’ve yet to forget it because it helped me self-assess as well. The person wished they’d done much more because they had the capacity and reach to do more but admitted that because they didn’t understand my need to go to the North Pole, they didn’t. They were deeply disappointed that I was shy of that goal by only three votes.

That comment got me thinking a lot as well as self-reflecting on my own actions.

Before that North Pole bid, I wondered how many personal projects and lifelong dreams people have had that those who had the capacity to help – either with time, money, votes, words of encouragement, support – just sat by and watched because they didn’t fully understand that person’s dreams.

Dreams and passions are so intrinsic and personal to each individual that sometimes trying to explain them to others makes no absolute sense, yet that doesn’t make them less valid.

There have been so many causes, movements, and passion projects that people have reached out for support on. Many of these I still don’t fully understand their purpose or direction, but I’ve started making conscious and active efforts to help within my capacity and within reason.

While I’ve always helped causes I fully understood in the past, now I make more concerted efforts to support when I can feel just how passionate the person is about their cause or project (within reason of course) regardless of how I personally feel about it.

I fully get passion, and that’s enough reason for me.

On the flipside, there have been passion projects I’ve supported for so long to the point of being taken completely for granted. Other people’s projects that have meant more to me than I have personally meant to those who dreamed them up.

That’s the quickest way to lose one’s sense of purpose.

While we prop others up with our time, talents, loyalty, and dedication, we should never forget our own passions – what turns us on mentality, emotionally, and spiritually – and seek ways to nourish them too.

One of my favorite places in Northern Sweden. Check out more photos from Storforsen and learn more about it on my photoblog here.