Friends, I am a broken record.

I’m here to say—again!—that we can’t go very long without inspiration. And if you can’t see it lying all around you, decide to go find or make it.

Maybe you have heard the phrase, “If you’re not angry, you’re not paying attention.” Okay—true. But ALSO, if you’re not in awe, you’re not paying attention.

Eden Philpotts says, “The universe is full of magical things, patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper.” What if we became Professional Noticers? What if we really knew that the water coming out of our taps in the morning was a miracle? That the waning and waxing moon was more miraculous still? What if we tried to describe how GPS works, or even a clock?

My sister friend Laura Todd and I just got back from a singing workshop at Holden Village with Paul Vasile. (Photo is of Paul and I, happy to see one another.) We hiked, swam in alpine lakes, played guitar, and sang our hearts out. We convened a song circle each night where someone would remember a song, we’d cobble the lyrics together, and then we’d make a raggedy, beautiful, improvised choir. I came home with a renewed commitment to bring music, poetry, silence, movement, and art into my work with clients and to start turning down work that won’t allow for those. We see with things like the climate change movement that information alone does not produce change. We need the artists, musicians, poets, prophets, dancers, naturalists. We need to take whatever bits we’ve got and imaginatively combine them. It’s the only hope we have.

If all we can articulate is what we are against, we won’t get far. Here are some things that are inspiring me lately—some things I am for:

  • Open studio at The Bellingham Commons
  • September’s warm water (Where have all the swimmers gone? Hot tip—the bay and lakes are the warmest now after soaking up summer sun)
  • Ross Gay’s The Book of (More) Delights
  • Gary Snyder—his poetry and The Practice of the Wild
  • Singing as much as I want to!
  • My friend caring for their partner in hospice
  • Seeing Janell Monae during her Age of Pleasure tour (what the heck?)
  • Supporting my clients as they keep making their organizations joyful, just, interesting places
  • My son’s botany field work and the way he can rattle off scientific names of all the California wildflowers
  • My daughter figuring out what she wants out of her potential college experience
  • Planning the shows I plan to catch during the Pickford Theater’s annual Doctober film festival

Valerie Kaur says, “Wonder is an act of will.” Try it!

Get Inspired!