"what inspires you?" "I find that so inspiring" "it was inspirational"
these are questions and remarks I seem to be hearing a lot lately and, standing at the kitchen sink looking out the window the other day - as I do - I was struck by the thought that if I was ever asked what inspired me (unlikely, but could happen) I would be unsure how to respond.
So I have been thinking about this and concerned that perhaps I am not inspired by anything and that my tendency towards apathy and cynicism has set in like some terrible rot ! But after a long discussion with my partner in crime, love, and war I realised that perhaps
a) I had a far bigger expectation of what it meant to be inspired;
b) Inspiration doesn't necessarily have to lead to anything, rather the very act of feeling inspired by something or someone is enough; and,
c) the people and things around you can be inspiring in a small and low key way.
On reflection I noted that many of the women I am getting to know through life at 6163 are inspiring - their commitment to their kids, their community, the earth and its future, their interests and artistic and creative talents, and the way they see beauty in the very simple things. These are all motivating me, dare I say 'inspiring me' to think, act and see things a little differently.
Ha - I think I'm guilty of having far too big an expectation of what it means to be inspired.
ReplyDeleteMy latest obsessive thinking has been centred around my feeling that I've got a lot of fluff and not a lot of substance in my life! Methinks I may also be suffering from high expectations.
Nice to have you in the hood ma'am. You have your own inspiring moments y'know.
Have just found you! Have had a little trawl through your archives and love what you're doing here. Inspiring is not a word I use often - it has overtones of Oprah and Dr Phil for me. But I like that way that you've given it considered thought and it has, yes, inspired you to think a little differently. I think we're all guilty of expecting 'inspired' to be somehow 'bigger'.
ReplyDelete