Inspiration

Inspiration comes from many things, and what may inspire one may not touch another in the same way. This is because we are all unique, and while the basic needs for survival are the same, our wants can be very different. I think there are things that are almost universally inspiring. A breathtaking sunset, with all its colours and shapes and imagined castles in the sky; or the ocean with its waves alternately lapping or crashing onto the shore, even trees and flowers have been immortalized by the penning of famous poets. Many of these works are required reading, and it is to our benefit that this is so. Then perhaps not just the subject, but the writer also becomes an inspiration.

How people become the basis for inspiration is not limited to literature, others promote ideas and work towards goals for the greater good. Where would this world be without the likes of Gandhi, MLK, or Mother Theresa? The world sees these people as superheroes, and rightly so, for they suffered and overcame much in the implementation of their beliefs. But in raising them to this status I think we also tend to put them out of reach for the average person. We feel like we could never accomplish anything on this scale so that our small contribution can never be effective or have an impact. This kind of thinking has to stop.

So what if people never know your name and crowds never gather to listen to you speak or hear your ideas? Does that make null any contribution on the average person's part? NO! Not all of us will be Nobel Laureates, and if that is the prize for or the context by which we measure our contribution then we are misguided. I do not believe that any of the above mentioned people started with this goal in mind. They each started where they were. They looked around them and saw things that they disagreed with and thought needed correction. They then took action to address these wrongs. They had no government funding or huge charities to support them in their missions, but as people listened and saw that it was good and joined with them, each was able to make a profound impact on society.

Where did their inspiration come from? I'm sure some came from their religious beliefs and texts, but as most of the world has access to these same writings and theologies, if that were the only factor then every believer would be such as these. This, as we well know, is not the case. More atrocities than I care to think about have been committed in the name of one religion or another. But that is for another post. So what is it that set these people apart from the masses and made them such powerful forces for good? The answer is simple. Action. What good does it do us to identify problems if all we do is rant and rave about how to solve them? Does anything get accomplished? NO.

These great people all took action to change something in their own area. When they started, they had no clue what it would become, only a dream that it was possible, and a willingness to work for it. What if these people had felt overwhelmed by the sheer enormity of the task at hand? What if they had never put forth any effort on behalf of their beliefs? I shudder to think what this world might now be; I am sure it is not one in which most people would wish to live. I definitely would not. With this in mind, I ask you....where is the next great person to come from? Well it certainly cant be me, you say, I dont have any great ideas or the time and energy to do anything even if I did. What if they had said that?

Now, I'm not saying you have to start a revolution and devote all your energy and time into "saving the world" or anything so dramatic as that. I think thats whats wrong with most philanthropy today. It looks at the forest, or the big picture, and forgets to see the individual trees, or pieces of that picture and how they make the whole. This world we live in is like a puzzle, with millions of tiny and many damaged pieces. To reach the pinnacle of human and world potential, all of these pieces must fit together and flourish upon this earth. How well each fits and flourishes will depend on the people and circumstances of each little portion. Does this mean we all have to conform to some cookie cutter mold mandated by world systems and economics? GOD FORBID! Talk about the death of inspiration!!

Each person lives in a piece of this big puzzle. Some are great big shiny pieces with great pay and high standards of living. Some are small and worn and not so great. Still others hang by a thread on the very edge of existence, with so many problems that it seems impossible that they will ever have any measure of stability or prosperity. Even in the great big shiny parts, there are still things that are not quite right, people that need help to rise up from whatever besets them. These people may or may not be poor. Rich people have problems too..never doubt it. And face it...havent we all needed a little help every now and then, even if it was just someone to listen to us or a hug when we were down? What inspired that person to listen or give that hug? Most often friendship or love or compassion or some nobler part of us that rises to the occasion. So how can we, with all the demands of modern life, including limited time and resources, do anything at all that makes a difference?

1. Choose to live an inspired life. Look for things that take you beyond yourself and your circumstances. Look at world around you...see the beauty of Mother Earth in her green glory and colourful beauty, with all the complexities and varieties of sciences and ecosystems and interactions. Look at the sky and its blues and reds and golds of the day, and the luminescent moon and twinkling stars of the night. I never cease to be astounded and amazed by it! Look at the life around you, the other humans that make this journey with you. See each of them as the unique individual they are, and find the beauty and dignity in them. Hear Mother Earth in the wind and the rain, and in the sounds of her life which we call nature, and let her riotous cacophony that dwells naturally in harmony and peace touch your soul. Listen to people and ideas, those around you and those from afar; for wisdom is found in many places both great and small. Learn all you can about the things that interest you. Discern between wisdom and rot, and keep only the wisdom. Begin a journey of rediscovery that does not take money or fame, just an open mind and 10 minutes a day if that is all you can spare.

2. Act! Let inspiration move you to do something for the greater good. One day a week take that 10 minutes and do something altruistic. Something for which you have no expectation of repayment, and I am not speaking of just money. On the flip side of that if you have more than you need, then giving money is a good thing as long as it actually helps. I personally dont give much to institutional type things...I think for the most part they are ineffectual, and I would rather give my money to the waitress down the street with 3 kids thats wondering how she is going to feed them and pay rent this month. Speak out for things you believe in when given the opportunity. Educate others about things that are important and matter to you. We dont have to shout either. Sometimes people strain to hear a soft voice and tune out the overly loud. Do different things until you find those that are most rewarding to you personally. Passion for your cause might infect another to also live larger and take action. Find other people with similar ideas and goals and work together to accomplish them...this is 'networking' at its simplest level and results in bigger impacts. Try it! You might find you like it. If you do, then ramp it up to twice a week or to whatever level you feel comfortable.

Who knows where all that could lead? If every person gave 10 minutes a week to something they believed worthy, what could be accomplished? Maybe nothing on a grand scale, but if it makes the little sliver of the world you live in a better place does it not have value and worth? What if by my failure to give the waitress down the street and her kids wind up hungry or worse, homeless? What if by not speaking well meaning philanthropists and governments keep razing the trees to save the forest? What if by our inaction we fail to inspire the next great humanitarian leader? What will this world become if we continue in our complacency?