Inspiration.... part two

Thanks to the myriad folks who wrote to comment on last weeks blog about inspiration
.... (O.K., maybe not "myriad"... but to the two or three who did..... thanks!....

One wrote: "Had to stop and think about what inspires me. Different things inspire me in different ways. For example, uplifting music inspires me to get up and get moving. Sad music inspires me to cry. Reading scripture inspires me to believe and to act on that belief. Most t.v. shows inspire me to be disgusted and to turn them off. Your blog inspires me to think about people and life."....

Another person challenged what I had said about the dictionary definition: "Inhaling, taking a breath, the act of breathing." I had said that I didn't understand that definition.
Here's his take on it....

When a person dies it is said that they "expire".... the opposite of "inspire", in that God "breathed" into the first man, Adam, the "breath of life". God "inspired" Adam to life through this divine act. Adam, "breathed-in" and became a living soul. When Adam "expired" he breathed "out" his last breath.... he died, at least in the physical sense. When all of us die, it is said that we "expire". We have an "expiration" date, sort of like a gallon of milk, except that you can still drink the milk "after" the expiration date (maybe)... When we "humans" expire.... well, no more milk....period. (Did I just explain this great or what?)...:-)

I think this is what is meant by the dictionary definition. I only wish the dictionary had gone into a more adequate explanation.... define itself, so to speak.

Anyway, thanks for the comments.

My last comment was interesting. The writer said that if I wanted "inspiration", that I should go to this website and watch this video.. So I did. It was a video I had seen before, several times actually, and every time I watched it, it brought me to tears. (I'm sort an emotional person anyway). I even cry at movies. My wife always looks at me funny and says something like, "Are you O.K.?" She usually never cries at movies... but you know, when Old Yeller dies at the end, you just gotta let it out. :-) Heck, I even cry watching the Food Network. I think I need help, actually. But that's for another blog....

I think this video is one of the most outstanding things I perhaps have ever seen. I would like for you to watch it, perhaps comment on it. How did it make you feel? And, .. WHY do you think it made you feel the way it did? I would love to hear you comments on it and I will try to put them on the next blog. I feel the video deserves a blog all to itself... so, next week I am going to write about it at some length. So... go, .. watch... cry, ... don't cry... be inspired,... don't be inspired,... whatever. And, I will see you "myriad" folks back here next week.

click on this line or cut and paste this into your browser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VJMbk9dtpdY


P.S. for you "younger" readers, Old Yeller was a dog. (And you thought it was just some old guy who stood on his front porch and yelled at people as they walked by)......

Inspiration....?

It was a busy weekend. I ended up playing two concerts, two church services and an afternoon at a high-rise full of "seasoned" citizens. So, I sat down late Sunday night and stared at the computer screen.... and continued to stare at the computer screen. Finally, I told myself, "I got nothing here." No "inspiration" to write a blog. My mind was a blank slate and my "muse" had either gone into hiding or had taken a long leap off a short pier....(Does that even make sense?)...

So,.. I turned off the computer and went to bed. Live to fight/write another day.... I guess.
I've been thinking about "inspiration". What does that mean, anyway?

The dictionary definition is:
1. Arousal of the mind to unusual activity or creativity.
2. A product of creative thinking or work
3. A sudden "intuition"... as in solving a problem
4. Divine guidance, the special influence of Divinity on the human mind.
5. Arousing to a particular emotion or action
6. Inhalation, the act of breathing in of air

O.K. I think I get most of these definitions.... except perhaps for number 6,... the whole "inhalation" and "breathing in of air"....(yes, that's actually in the dictionary).

Yes, today I suddenly feel "inspired" to take a breath! In fact, I make splurge and take several "breathes"..... Or, I may be "inspired" to simply NOT breathe. I think that's called....dying?

Anyway.... I digress...

As a songwriter I do get inspired to write new songs. I write mostly from "inspiration" rather than from "perspiration", which simply means that instead of writing 60 songs a year, I might write...maybe... "6".....
But, I can't explain the phenomenon.

"Why" do I care to even write one song? Or why is an artist inspired to paint a painting or a photographer inspired to take that special picture.... or a builder inspired to erect that particular structure?
What inspired God to create an entire universe and fill it with objects of his imagination and His likeness?....

This summer I got "inspired" for the first time to actually care about my lawn. I was doing my usual mowing and suddenly, for the first time, noticed that I was mostly mowing down "weeds" instead of "grass". An epiphany!.... (yes, I am a s..l..o..w.. learner).
So, this season I have been spreading weed-killer on my lawn and purchased grass seed and spread it around and now.... I'm buying "winterizer".... for the first time. I didn't even know there was such a thing as "winterizer"...for lawns.... (good grief, where have I been all these years?)

Sometimes inspiration just comes out of the blue... and it's a surprise (like the lawn thing)....
But, I think, most of the time though, I'm mostly inspired by other people. I see someone doing something extraordinary, and, ...perhaps I'm just a tad jealous,... but I want to do something "extra-ordinary" myself.
My friend, Dennis, rode in a weekend bike marathon to raise money for Multiple Sclerosis treatment and research. I think that's one of the most admirable things I've seen from one of my friends in quite some time. Cudos to you, D! (And, by the way... WHY did you do it? What "inspired" you?....

Which... leads me to ask this question of all my readers.....(However many of you there are... God only knows...)... "What inspires YOU?"....
I would like to hear from you... get some feedback.. sort of open it up for discussion.

What inspires you to do what you do?.... Ride in a marathon. Take a picture. Write a song. Involve yourself in a particular activity. What makes YOU tick?

Write me and let me know. I will share it with the folks ....and keep you anonymous (if you prefer).
At least it will give me some fodder for a future "blog"..... Until my "muse" returns from wherever the heck it went.

Why do I keep writing these blog things anyway?...
(If you read my very first one, then you'll know).....

Anyway, have a great week. Hope it's an "inspirational" one....