What Has Inspired You?

[Dan Metevier]

I'll start this thread with a poem by one of my favorite modern poets, Mary Oliver. It has inspired me and I hope you find inspiration in it too. How about you? What has inspired you (poem, song, person, movie, novel, whatever)?

The Journey

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice–
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
‘Mend my life!’
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do–
determined to save
the only life you could save.

Mary Oliver

 

[Mimo]

Lately I've taken interest in certain types porcelain dolls; ones with a particular look about them. Not sure what to call it; a little ominous, maybe, but really pretty, like they're between the borders of an object and... I don't know, a spirit, or something. Now I want to learn how to paint in such a way that it gives off a similar feel; I think it's the "skin" and the eyes that really get to me.

It's a little strange because I've never had much interest in dolls before, but I saw some of these and thought "man, if I could paint and have it look so otherworldly like that...". A small and temporary inspiration, perhaps, but whatever works, right?

Edit: Lovely poem by the way!

 

[Dan Metevier]

A small and temporary inspiration, perhaps, but whatever works, right?

Quite right! Thanks for sharing. And welcome!

 

[Harrison]

Inspiration, for me, has been an odd bed fellow. I have found it in the unlikeliest of places from the most unlikely people.

I just posted a thought on another thread which bizarrely led to here, in which I said that the simplest things can bring about the biggest change. Certainly for me that has been an axiom in my life, one which I have held above all other things.

My first inspiration was meeting Douglas Bader the famous WWII pilot. I was five years old and had polio so couldn't walk, and here was a guy with tin legs who'd flown in a war. He became my inspiration to not only walk but to learn to fly much later in life.

Another was a tramp I'd given my boots to. Years later I set up a company based on how that day had made me feel, it changed my life so I used the lesson to change others.

As far as quotes go I do enjoy this -

“Man doeth this and doeth that from the good or evil of his heart; but he knows not to what end his sense doth prompt him; for when he strikes he is blind to where the blow shall fall, nor can he count the airy threads that weave the web of circumstance. Good and evil, love and hate, night and day, sweet and bitter, man and woman, heaven above and the earth beneath--all those things are needful, one to the other, and who knows the end of each?”

~ H Rider Haggard

 

[Judge]

Those who deal with and/or overcome adversity under incredibly difficult conditions.

 

[Kari Suttle]

Music. People tend to fail me but I can relate to the lyrics of music and it provides a better emotional support than any person ever has.

 

[Cali Cat]

Music. People tend to fail me but I can relate to the lyrics of music and it provides a better emotional support than any person ever has.

For me, it's music and, most of all, cats ... for pretty much the same reason. I can relate to both cats and music. They're both there when you need them, and they bring me closer to God.

 

[Kari Suttle]

For me, it's music and, most of all, cats ... for pretty much the same reason. I can relate to both cats and music. They're both there when you need them, and they bring me closer to God.

I love cats too! My sister's cat is a great 'therapy cat'. She seems to pick up on it whenever someone is sick or sad and always come over to the person and stays with them until they're better. The other cat, my mom's cat, couldn't care less but my sister's cat is great about it. I swear every time i'm upset lately and its late and everyone else is asleep i open my door to go to the bathroom and find the cat sitting by my door just quietly waiting to be let in. She's the best. Both of our cats are rescues, adopted as kittens from fosters without their moms, and are both former lost/strays.

 

[Etzelaire]

Inspiration comes to me from any situation. One day I wake up and start with my thoughts like how the order of atomic particles makes me who I am and chuckle at realizing most NTs would never bother to think such things. Otherwise, sometimes thinking that much is hell; but inspiration is whatever gives me a new energy boost and I happen to find it by chance.

 

[clg114]

In recent years I am most inspired by my ever growing family, or maybe by my love for my family. That's what keeps me on the straight and narrow path. If I get out of step, I could hurt somebody. I can't stand the thought of hurting somebody I love.

 

[ExplosiveTMT]

My special ed class at school and awesome friends have inspired me to be more confident in myself and to bring out my voice more often, and most importantly to not feel so bad about the odd quirks that I have.
Am grateful to have come across that support.

Oh and I've read some pretty inspiring stories from people on this site as well.

 

[Sass]

Everything inspires me, which makes my head a very noisy and sometimes hard-to-navigate place, but it all works out, eventually

 

[Dan Metevier]

One day I wake up and start with my thoughts like how the order of atomic particles makes me who I am and chuckle at realizing most NTs would never bother to think such things.

Yes, most, but not all. I actually think that way some times. For me, it's kind of a spiritual thing.

 

[DarkAscent]

The old headmaster at my school inspired me. Every kid at my school really loved him. He retired at the end of the last academic year. I used to attend mainstream school where I received no support for my deafness and autism. I was bullied and teased regularly by my teachers and peers, and was struggling to cope etc. I attended the open day for the sixth form of his school which was my dream school (it's a special residential school for deaf students), and had almost no chance of getting in because the local authorities have to fund a student's place and they often refuse.

He looked at my predicted grades and was astonished by them since a lot of deaf children at mainstream school tend to not score high grades, whereas mine were quite high. He told me, "Don't dream that you're coming to [school name], believe it!"

I burst into tears at hearing his words. I was so happy. He told my Fa that he was going to give me a scholarship as his parting gift.

He supported and gave a countless number of deaf children hope and happiness. Now that he has inspired me, I want to be able to do the same: reach out to deaf people who were in my situation, and give them hope and happiness too.

 

[May Black]

Everything inspires me, which makes my head a very noisy and sometimes hard-to-navigate place, but it all works out, eventually

I can relate to this. I feel I constantly observe everything and everyone around me.

 

[aj]

 

[Ericho]

I imagine it would be kind of cliché to say my mom, but she truly is the most wonderful person I've ever met.

My folks are leaving the house for a job in Atlanta, BTW. Big step.

 

[Grumpy Cat]

What inspires me?

GRUMPY CAT! I have her on my computer, my iPhone, my keychain. All I have to do is look at her and I get an immediate smile. She's helping me get through my present situation.

MY ASPIE FRIEND! He has given up his apartment that he was used to in order to save money, he went to class to work as a security guard and is now working part time and going to school full time so he can be a great speech pathologist! Whatever he wants to do he just puts his mind to it and does it! I'm really proud of him! He inspires me to keep wanting to do more and be the best that I can be!