Passion and Pain

Banana and Passionfruit Loaf

 Have you ever wondered how passionfruit got their name?

It is actually because Catholic missionaries in South America thought that the shape of the fruit and its flower are symbolic of the passion of Christ.  I'm intrigued by the origins of the word passion.  It is derived from the Greek pathos which can mean "to suffer", but also "to experience".  In Latin, pathos became passio, meaning "to submit" and it is the strength of feeling associated with the biblical idea of the ultimate suffering that Christ submitted himself to that infused the word passion with its modern meaning of strength of feeling, or strong emotions and desires.

We still associate passion with pain.  We burn with passion, we pursue our passions with zeal.  Our passions are something that can consume us.  Certainly they drive us and, ultimately, give our lives meaning.  They are among the things that help us to grow as people.  Perhaps the link between passion and experience is clearer than I first thought.  The link has certainly been recognised for centuries: the Roman poet Horace said:

"Suffering is but another name for the teaching of experience, which is the parent of instruction and the schoolmaster of life."

So, I will harness all my enthusiasm and zeal and dive into this Banana and Passionfruit Loaf, happy in the knowledge that following my passion is not merely an indulgence, but a way to learn, grow and live fully.  Any reasoning that ends up with cake being good is fine with me!