Inspiration: Where does it come from and how can I get it?
I often think of inspiration as being unattainable; something I can’t quite grasp, whether I’m working on my next blog post, teaching preschool or trying to decide what to make for dinner…again. Sources of inspiration are all around me, but sometimes I’m looking so hard for that unattainable inspiration, that mountaintop inspiration, that I forget where my true inspiration comes from.
Sometimes when I have writer’s block, I look to fellow bloggers. Their writing inspires me to write. A couple of years ago, I read a story about how the tall grass at the side of the road looked beautiful as the sun set behind them. As she was driving by, this blogger just had to pull over and get out her camera. She had driven by these grasses a hundred times, and had never noticed them before. The grass and the setting sun became her inspiration.
Sometimes our inspiration is right in front of us. We just have to realize it!
This week, it’s my turn to lead “Big Rug.” During Big Rug time, I have a routine of learning activities and then I like to do a gross motor activities with the children. Our theme this week is “police” so I sang a song with them that Emmy loved to sing in preschool: “Stop–in the name of the law!” The kids loved dancing to the music, and I felt inspired! Our children are one of the best sources of inspiration, aren’t they?
Before blogging, I used to keep a journal that no one read. It was a place for me to write down my thoughts. My Monday entry would read: “This weekend Ed and I went to Countryside. We had so much fun. Then we watched a movie. It was so much fun. The next day we went for a walk. It was fun!” I would list the events of the day. Boring!
Now that I blog, I’m trying to become a better writer. My posts are out here on the internet for everyone to read, which can be intimidating! Knowing that people actually read what I write, however, is also a reason I love blogging. Because of you, I want to keep on writing and make the next post better than the last. It doesn’t always happen, but I keep trying and I keep writing. You, dear readers, are my inspiration!
Mountains are certainly inspirational, but there is a lot more tall grass around us. What inspires you?
P.S. I wish I could find the post about the tall grasses and link to it, but I’m not sure who wrote it. Was it you?
