How often do we hear that question asked by others? Better yet, how often do we ask ourselves what inspires us? Do we even know? I'm not entirely sure I do.
Most would say their parents, a successful athlete or the like. Growing up, my parents were most certainly my motivation. I wanted to please them, I wanted praise from them, but above all, I wanted them to love me- whether they showed it or not- and excelling in school was a surefire way to make that happen.
But what inspired me? Honestly, as a kid, I found inspiration in nearly everything- the swings at the playground, any given episode of Unsolved Mysteries, a peanut-butter and jelly sandwich, the science section of my encyclopedia collection, music, the list is endless. All of these things amazed me, inspired me to aspire, made me want more from life and to strive for bigger and better. Pretty easy when you're 9 and have your whole life ahead of you , eh?
Inspiration seems to come naturally when we're children. At least it's much easier to receive it. As I've gotten older, though, I've come to find it much harder to feel inspired. As an adult especially, I've found myself looking everywhere for inspiration and being unable to find it.
Well I just found some in probably the most inconspicuous place- the sun. Whaaa? I just finished sunbathing outside my windowsill (err, let's call it rooftop). There was some light meditation music playing on my iPod, little to no wind, eyes closed and I was swimming in pure sunshine. It was DIVINE. Not only did it physically feel good, but spiritually, it was fantastic; like my SOUL was being embraced.
I've always loved the sun until recently, having gone through a phase where I actually feared it. Wrinkles, skin cancer, sunburn, unsightly tan-lines, etc., etc. Bullsh*t. The sun is Love. It gives life, it feeds, nourishes, consoles, embraces, gives us something to wake up to, lights the way, reassures us that everything will be okay, takes our breath away with its ethereal paintings on its canvas, the sky. It reminds us that our bodies are tiny but our spirits are unlimited.
The sun is selfless, unconditional love. It gives without asking for a thing in return, without expecting to receive. It pours its rays of love onto the Earth day after day, never tiring, never asking for a momentary break, never ceasing, never stopping. So selfless in fact, that while most of us verbally abuse it for abandoning us in the winter and allowing the clouds to dull its intensity for long stretches, it still comes back time and time again. Nor does it forsake us at night when it lights the moon, as to not leave us in complete obscurity for even a second.
I could write a full essay on this topic but will stop here for your sake. What I want to convey is that this realization of the sun's unyielding love for Earth today was so overwhelming- in a pleasant way- that it was inspiring. If only we all loved like that....
Inspiration is everywhere; it never went missing. We need only remove the blinders we've been given in adolescence/adulthood so that we may witness the beauty, the good and the love in everything and everyone. You know how they say beauty is in the eye of the beholder? Well the beholder who does not see beauty clearly has not taken off his/her blinders.
Love is all around. Wake up.
great post.
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