About a year ago, I wrote this post on Gluten Free Sage about inspiration and why inspiration matters. It began with happy memories of the pop culture years of the late ’60s and how they kept popping up throughout my days—as either a wistful thought or nostalgic feeling. This seemed too much of a coincidence. I wanted to investigate further. Then more synchronicities occurred and I found myself suddenly following an exciting line of action and reaction. My soul was sending me on a journey.
The natural world has so many advantages from inspiration to health benefits. The best gift I’ve received from exploring the majesty of this impressive world we live in and its royal beauty is how it opened up my heart to writing poetry, and to my inner artist.
I write in bits and short bursts—sort of what it feels like to wiggle in and out of boulders as you climb up a mountain. The greatness of the colors, the mountain air, the peace, the blues and earthy hues enhance my thoughts and turn off the distractions; then it all comes spilling out like one of those narrow creeks down the side of the mountain after a big rain.
Have you ever heard the story of The Three Bricklayers? I hadn’t—until recently:
A man came upon a construction site where three people were working. He asked the first, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am laying bricks.” He asked the second, “What are you doing?” and the man replied: “I am building a wall.” As he approached the third, he heard him humming a tune as he worked, and asked, “What are you doing?” The man stood and smiled and replied with a gleam in his eye, “I am building a cathedral.”
I’ve been working on a Poetry In Motion series of animated excerpts from my book Sage Words, and a couple of weeks ago I showed one to a friend. They were thrown off-guard and asked surprisingly why didn’t I do this sooner?