It’s funny how something insignificant can make you see things in a completely different light.

Saturday morning, I discovered my watch wasn’t working, and it made me realize how consumed I’ve become by University of Alabama merchandise.

My watch has the Crimson Tide logo on it and I was forced to wear an old digital watch that still keeps fantastic time on its original battery.

Ever since wearing that watch — which was a Christmas gift from my parents — it has drawn several comments. It sounds weird, but I feel less of a fan of Alabama because I’m not wearing it.

Outside of work, I almost always wear one of my many Alabama T-shirts. I also have two Crimson Tide stickers on my truck, an Alabama table lamp, two stuffed Elephants, several Alabama bobblehead dolls, a deck of cards with the logo, a bottle opener that plays “Yea, Alabama,” a hat and a months-old unopened can of Coca-Cola commemorating the 2009 national championship.

Save for the deck of cards, I bought none of that for myself.

I’ve bought more Alabama stuff for my fiancée, who only likes the team because I do, than I have bought for myself. Much of that was bought on a Valentine’s Day trip to Tuscaloosa where we toured the Paul W. Bryant Museum and Bryant-Denny Stadium, where I proposed to her.

And the picture frame on my desk that has a picture of her and I used to display one of me alongside Gene Stallings. (By the way, the picture frame is red).

Being a fan can become an all-consuming practice if you let it.

There’s nothing wrong with being passionate, even fanatical, as long as it doesn’t get out of hand.

I didn’t cry over my watch not working, and I’m not rushing out today to buy a replacement. I’ll make do with what I have.

I did post it on Facebook. It has gotten eight comments as of this writing.

I don’t have a problem wearing the old digital watch I dug up to replace it, but it just doesn’t feel right.

When you’re passionate about something, nothing is ever enough for you.

Passion is rearely ever truly satisfied, and that’s a shame.

Passion is what drives people toward success and satisfaction, but hopefully along the way we find contentment.

My watch doesn’t have the Alabama logo on it any more, but I’ve got enough other Alabama stuff to keep me satisfied.

Brian Tynes is the sports editor for the Selma Times-Journal. He can be contacted at brian.tynes@selmatimesjournal.com or at 410-1716.