without passion, by Julie Seyler, May 2012

BY JULIE SEYLER

Can we live without passion?  I don’t think that question ever arose in my 20s, 30s, or 40s. It was a fait accompli based on youth, pheromones and hormones. But during the first half of 2012, at the riper age of 57, when I was dealing with a relentless pain in my left hip, I must admit I started wondering.

I had seen seven doctors, three physical therapists, and two acupuncturists – all of whom had various theories and proposed remedies for my distorted walk and constant ache, but no solutions. My hobbling gait just got worse and worse. I was definitely experiencing the passion of pain, but felt little passion for anything else.

About this time I saw a still of Joel McCrea and Dolores del Rio from the 1932 movie, “Bird of Paradise.” The way they gaze into each other’s eyes screams ardent lust.

And so I had to have some passionate fun making a collage about what it feels like when the only passion you have is feeling the passion of pain.