INSPIRATION CONTEST
This was a friendly contest with pretty
simple rules: Write a short piece (a paragraph or three) about something or
someone that has inspired you, or really meant something to you. It can be a
song, a season, a relative, a pet, a poem, an athlete or a color. Anything,
really. Email it to me. I will go through the entries and choose the one that
really speaks to me. I will post some of them (as I think they will be interesting),
unless you mark at the top of your entry that it is "Not for public consumption"
(or something to that effect).
The winning inspiree will receive a 12" x 12" painting of the subject
of their entry, painted and shipped by me free of charge. Simple as that. I
think this will be fun. I will accept entries through Friday November 3rd, 2006.
In case of a tie, both participants will receive a painting. Relatives of the
artist are not eligible to win (but can enter, nonetheless).
WINNING ENTRY
"The most incredible inspiration we can get in this lifetime is that which inspires you to be a better person. There is no greater inspiration than what is given to us through life and death.
I never dreamed that losing a pet would be one of the most difficult things
I would ever go through in my life. Mocha, my first dog, died at almost 12 years
old. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted her to die peacefully at home, her last
days were not so peaceful, putting me in a position to have to make the awful
decision to put her to sleep peacefully and comfortably. I grieved horribly
over her. To this day, I still cry when I think of her. I have a photo of her
on my nightstand-she is one of the last things I see before closing my eyes
at night. When someone you love dies, you hang on to the hope that one day you
will see them again. As cliché as it sounds, her death makes me want
to be a better person so that when I die, we can meet again.
About a month ago, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. It was the most wonderful
day of my life. It is an overwhelming thought that my child is completely dependent
on me and looks to me for guidance and direction. I want to be the best person
I can be so that Ollie can learn positive traits from me, traits such as honesty,
integrity, kindness, and respect. Traits that will make him a better person
and the kind of person who will make a positive impact on others so that the
world can be a better place. Ollie is one of the last things I touch before
I close my eyes at night. His life makes me want to be a better person so that
he can pass that on to others, maybe even his own children.
When I think about Mocha and Ollie, and how they have inspired me, I realize
that in dealing with the life and death issues of the past few months, that
I have not had to go it alone. My husband has been right there beside me. So
often, I think he is the one that goes overlooked in our family. He never expects
the limelight, never expects a thank you, never complains, gives more than anyone
else, and smiles and laughs through it all. Everything he does, he does so that
he can give Ollie and me a better life, so that we will be happy. I could never
have made it through Mocha's death without him, and without him, I could never
have given birth to such a wonderful human being as Ollie. Todd truly inspires
me with his genuinely giving and caring personality. He never expects anything
in return, he is a very selfless person, and that is ultimately the kind of
person I strive to be. I don't think I have ever told him these things, but
I know I should. There should never be a day that goes by when the people you
care about the most don't get a chance to hear how important they are to you.
"
~Erin C.
THE REST OF THE ENTRIES (some real good ones, too):
"My father has always been an important part of my life. My earliest memory is playing "airplane" with him, where he would throw me high, mimicking the roar of a Boeing engine, and I would plunge giggling into his waiting hands. Even then, in my prelingual stages, he was communicating with me, saying, "Remember me by tricks I do." I learned to talk, and outgrew those early flights, but he changed the oil in a succession of my cars and performed a myriad of new tricks to keep my house inhabitable. Love spelled out in menial tasks. The clean gutters and patched roof, the safe and uneventful morning commutes, the sound of airplanes . . . ordinary things that remind me of an extraordinary man."
~David D.
"LIFE.
that is very inspiring, all around you at any given moment there is life waiting
to be interacted with. ebb & flow with it, learn from it, it will
teach you everything you need to know to get through. . . . . . . . . Life.
people have forgotten how to listen to Life, it is giving us lessons every nanosecond
of our existence.
how to love
how to cure
how to forgive
how to accept
it is ancient
it is new
forever changing
never waiting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . LIFE!
a disease that has but one cure
nothing in it is certain, but one mainstay
within it, it can take yours
with proper respect, all can be forgiven.
LIFE.
teacher
mother
secret lover"
~Jim N.
"Today
the way
your hair,
black and beautiful
in the afternoon sun,
slightly occluded one half
of your left eye while you spoke
sent the room spinning, your face
the eye of the hurricane
calm and still
and I fell in,
windless and wide-eyed.
I was captive,
craving no emancipation.
And you kick back
in your chair, and put your
little legs up on the table
as you go through your rituals.
You steep your tea
and lots and lots of honey
and hold the cup
with your long fingers
while you tell stories
in vivid detail of a
seemingly unending supply
of times gone by.
And finally you rise to leave
but not before pulling your hair
and propping it up
with things from the table."
~Rob O.
"Love’s emotion inspires me.
Love for all people. Love covers a lot of ground--from blindingly passionate
to simply accepting another’s viewpoint that may be different from my
own. Love is subjective, wonderfully so. This subjectivity requires that people
who love one another communicate in ways they understand. Love requires finding
a place that is a common ground. It requires great expectations. It brings people
together.
Wonder’s emotion inspires me. I wonder at the stars and the universe.
I know that I am only a tiny part of it all, and because of this, I choose to
feel exquisitely fine. The insignificant feeling I get when I marvel in fascination
at the stars inspires me. My inner world and my problems are fleeting in comparison
to the huge, beautiful spinning mass of which we are all a part. I feel inquisitive,
perplexed and challenged to find out more about why we are here and what this
place is—this universe.
Fear’s emotion inspires me. When I am afraid, I sometimes choose to feel
anger. Anger inspires me to do something to make the world better, to influence
people in some small way. This, in turn, inspires me to feel a sense of accomplishment
and pride—both wonderful emotions! Fear initially inspires me to find
my center and defend my basis. Fear ultimately inspires me to become stronger
through expansion of knowledge, negotiation, collaboration, persuasion, and
defense. I enjoy the feeling of strength I have for my beliefs, my life, and
my choices. Fear this!"
~Lisa M.
"Have you ever experienced a moment
of laughter synergy? One person in your group tells a story, or a joke, or does
something silly, and the rest of the group laughs. Just as the laughter from
the initial event dies down another wave of giggles hits the group. There is
no reason for the second wave of laughter. There is simply an organic reaction
wherein a little laughter feeds into more laughter until you hit critical amusement
mass, then all hell breaks loose.
The next thing you know your friends have tears of mirth rolling down their
faces. One friend has fallen on the floor, helpless with glee. Another friend,
in a sudden burst of laughter, squirts milk from her nose. And then just as
everyone takes a big deep breath, seemingly exhausted, another friend titters,
and the whole scenario is replayed.
This type of joyous laughter from my darling, dear friends is what inspires
me. Even through the darkest, most mundane times, the sound of the guffaws and
giggles from them can inspire me to face the day with a smile."
~Stephanie M.
How it all started...
" Anessa, Have you ever drawn a portrait of someone?"
I looked up at my granddad from my then favorite position of laying
down on my stomach and drawing , "What's a portrait?" As he started
his explanation, (they were usually very long) I went back to my
artwork in process, but I was still listening. " A portrait is a
drawing or painting of someone in particular. One that tries to
capture what special features or personality a person may have." I
rose up curiously, impressions of the shag carpet deeply imbedded in
my elbows. This actually sounded a little interesting. He finished his
explanation....this time I was really paying attention.
Well, enough said! I decided we should try one of these "portraits"
right away. He would be the model and I would be the artist. We got
started on his personal portrait within 5 minutes of the introduction
on the word to my vocabulary.
Granddad and I both decided it should be drawn from the side, because
I thought that might be easier, and plus he couldn't watch me while I
was drawing-- as that made me a little nervous. I posed him in a chair
in front of the sliding glass window so I could really get a good look
at him in the sunlight. Wrinkles and all. Who knows how long he sat
there, but he was a good model and he sat very still for me. What a
patient man.
When I finished my artwork I was pretty darn satisfied with the
results. It was decided that he should keep the portrait and he would
put it in his office. He had lots of my creations in his office...to
him , a gift made by the grandkids was the best present anyone could
have ever given him. Even if it was only tuna cans with glitter and a
polaroid photo on it.
After my granddad had passed away many years later, I was tearfully
sorting through some books in his library that my Grandmother was
trying to give away. I instantly picked up "The Magic Power of Your
MIND", a book about how you can accomplish just about anything if you
put your mind to it. This was definitely his philosophy (right after
learn to listen and be kind to all god's creatures....even bugs.) and
it reminded me so strongly of him I had to open the pages. Much to my
surprise, right inside the cover was my very first portrait. Kept
safely for all those years.
I had always wanted to make a living being an artist and Granddad was
always coming up with ideas for me to make this come true, but as I
got older it seemed more and more impractical. Luckily, finding that
old piece of paper was just about all it took to remind me that I can
be ANYTHING I want to be as long as I put my mind to it. Well, at
least it got me started. When I picked up my paint brush again it only
seemed right that he was the first person I painted.
Thanks Granddad for reminding me that dreams can come true.
Each painting I do is a gift for you.
~Anessa A.
"the ever-regenerative power of the earth awes and inspires me daily. hopefully we will be able to overcome our own ignorance and let it live. here is a poem i wrote to give myself hope:
green lava
chaotic order transmutes the scenery into splendid variation, marred only by
mankind~ this irreconcilable cancer, spreading & destroying~ the diseased
disease.
the spiralled branches of random trees succumb to splinterhood through their
peaceable existence~ unwilling to fight back~ shedding blood for greed.
when the chainsaws are silenced, beauty will erupt & spill over the earth
in a green-lava-liquid~ quenching irrational thirst and consummating life-love.
dams will overflow & freedom will break through to crumble concrete &
pain. the veil of illusion will be disrobed~ laid naked and bare for all to
see.
and then, we will be free"
~Jessica T.
Barn Yard Conversation: A One Page Play
By Bill M.
© 2006 by Bill M.
FRED
I love you.
MARY
You don’t.
FRED
I do. (pause)
Why don’t I?
MARY
You can’t
FRED
Why not
MARY
You’re a cow!
FRED
No, I’m not over weight.
MARY
True. But, look at yourself: Black and brown spots on white, tail, four legs
and hooves. You’re a cow!
FRED
So I am. (pause) You can’t love me for who I am?
MARY
No.
I’m a pig.
FRED
Love is blind; I hadn’t noticed.
~Bill M.
"Bob Dylan, a prophet in my life,
brings together a lot of melancholy feelings of friendships gained and lost,
the passage of time, along with the beauty of eternal life through memory in
this song. It has long been among my favorite Dylan songs, but in
this past year, it has also served as a healing tool and point of reference
as I learn to embrace memories while knowing that nothing can can be the way
it used to be. I send this in memory of my Dad, who taught me that change was
part of life's journey. Friendships gained, understanding cultivated,
friendships that seem gone....Dad always reminded me all for a reason and in
good time......all a part of the person I am, no regrets, just embrace it.
He loved that person and helped me get to the point in life that I could
live without his physical presence.
Like Dylan's words, Dad lives forever through so many people.
BOB DYLAN'S DREAM
While riding on a train goin' west,
I fell asleep for to take my rest.
I dreamed a dream that made me sad,
Concerning myself and the first few friends I had.
With half-damp eyes I stared to the room
Where my friends and I spent many an afternoon,
Where we together weathered many a storm,
Laughin' and singin' till the early hours of the morn.
By the old wooden stove where our hats was hung,
Our words were told, our songs were sung,
Where we longed for nothin' and were quite satisfied
Talkin' and a-jokin' about the world outside.
With haunted hearts through the heat and cold,
We never thought we could ever get old.
We thought we could sit forever in fun
But our chances really was a million to one.
As easy it was to tell black from white,
It was all that easy to tell wrong from right.
And our choices were few and the thought never hit
That the one road we traveled would ever shatter and split.
How many a year has passed and gone,
And many a gamble has been lost and won,
And many a road taken by many a friend,
And each one I've never seen again.
I wish, I wish, I wish in vain,
That we could sit simply in that room again.
Ten thousand dollars at the drop of a hat,
I'd give it all gladly if our lives could be like that."
~Ann R.
"I am Gary, I have been called Gershon,
Huey, Joe-Jew, and a host of other
names some derogatory some endearing, I have been a soccer player, a
bodybuilder, a rock climber, a hiker, a cyclist, a bird watcher, there was a
time in college where I drank for sport, I have been alternately simple and
complex, usually mixing the two up, I have been intense and was once
convinced by someone that it was a bad thing, I was born Jewish but have
always celebrated Christmas and have spent a decade following the path of
the Buddha, mostly missing the nuances, I have been a friend, a boyfriend, a
lover, a fighter, an adversary, a student, a husband, a father, but never a
soul mate, I have been loved, hated, lusted for, and simply ignored, I have
hurt some and have been hurt by others, I have chased after the wrong women
and have pushed away some that maybe I shouldn’t have, I always place
the
insects I find inside outdoors so that they may go on their way, I have been
the best man at three weddings, I have been a child and, at times still am,
I have had dreams that haven’t panned out and many that have yet to unfold,
I have been wise, stupid, caring, selfish, but as of yet never selfless, I
have learned lessons and I have missed the point, I have been a son and am
trying to be one again, I have felt alive and dead, once simultaneously, I
pose as a poet, I run a company, I once ran a family, and on occasion I run
myself into the ground, I have seen birth, death, sickness, ageing, pain,
loss, joy and happiness, once in a while all in the span of a few moments, I
have smelt scrub pine from the top of an Adirondack peak and known that all
is good, under the tutelage of a Thai monk I thought I saw the present
moment, and once next to a stream I heard of a friend’s cancer and
actually
did, my status as an uncle was once removed but now, thanks to my brother, I
hold it on a more permanent basis, I have felt the heartbeat of a child, and
the stillness in my father’s chest when he died, I feel my own heart
beat.my life, like most lives, is a run on sentence."
~Gary S.
"Every morning, as I drive the farm
backroads to work, an old man rakes
leaves beneath his maple tree. Silhouetted against the sky on a gentle
hill, he seems to rake the same pile of leaves every time. I think
that he might be rationing them out for himself- so that he has
something to do outside at 7:30 each day morning.
Late autumn has the best mornings of the year. The cool- not stifling-
air in the lungs. The wet, cold grass perfect for snuffling dogs. The
transparent skies. Plants are still green, despite occasional frost,
and the trees aren't quite bare- even as their fallen leaves brew in
the wetness like tea."
~Tristan L.
"The most incredible inspiration
we can get in this lifetime is that which inspires you to be a better person.
There is no greater inspiration than what is given to us through life and death.
I never dreamed that losing a pet would be one of the most difficult things
I would ever go through in my life. Mocha, my first dog, died at almost 12 years
old. Unfortunately, as much as I wanted her to die peacefully at home, her last
days were not so peaceful, putting me in a position to have to make the awful
decision to put her to sleep peacefully and comfortably. I grieved horribly
over her. To this day, I still cry when I think of her. I have a photo of her
on my nightstand-she is one of the last things I see before closing my eyes
at night. When someone you love dies, you hang on to the hope that one day you
will see them again. As cliché as it sounds, her death makes me want
to be a better person so that when I die, we can meet again.
About a month ago, I gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. It was the most wonderful
day of my life. It is an overwhelming thought that my child is completely dependent
on me and looks to me for guidance and direction. I want to be the best person
I can be so that Ollie can learn positive traits from me, traits such as honesty,
integrity, kindness, and respect. Traits that will make him a better person
and the kind of person who will make a positive impact on others so that the
world can be a better place. Ollie is one of the last things I touch before
I close my eyes at night. His life makes me want to be a better person so that
he can pass that on to others, maybe even his own children.
When I think about Mocha and Ollie, and how they have inspired me, I realize
that in dealing with the life and death issues of the past few months, that
I have not had to go it alone. My husband has been right there beside me. So
often, I think he is the one that goes overlooked in our family. He never expects
the limelight, never expects a thank you, never complains, gives more than anyone
else, and smiles and laughs through it all. Everything he does, he does so that
he can give Ollie and me a better life, so that we will be happy. I could never
have made it through Mocha's death without him, and without him, I could never
have given birth to such a wonderful human being as Ollie. Todd truly inspires
me with his genuinely giving and caring personality. He never expects anything
in return, he is a very selfless person, and that is ultimately the kind of
person I strive to be. I don't think I have ever told him these things, but
I know I should. There should never be a day that goes by when the people you
care about the most don't get a chance to hear how important they are to you.
"
~Erin C.
What inspires me at this time in my life is my mother. Her life now is much different than how she spent most of it. In widowhood my mother has gracefully become the most independent and fabulous 72 yr old single girl. And see what I find so inspiring about her is that really she's been this way her whole life, I just had assumptions about her and her posistion in the family (and hey I was a kid). My mother is in great shape, she power walks around the neighborhood. She takes no medications for any old age ailments, has conquered breast cancer and brings fresh cut veggie trays to church events because she truely believes in great nutrition ( and has a life that supports that belief.) I realize now that she wasn't just the woman of the house, that raised 7 children after marrying at 18 yrs old. She and my father had a very equal relationship even though he brought home all the bacon and she cooked it. Now in widowhood, she takes care of her home, finances, safety all like she's been the independent woman for years. She still questions life and the way she should live it. She is ok with the mysteries of life. She is old catholic and zen Buddha. Her parenting advice to me consists of "the baby will tell you" and "it will be interesting to see how you handle that." I want to be just like her when I'm 72 (knock on wood): A great family woman that didn't lose herself among years of caring for others, a woman that isn't afraid of the world of today, a woman who still chooses to love deeply after loss.
~Erin F.
On Springsteen's CD titled Devils &
Dusk the song Long Time Comin' recently
caught my eye/ear/heart. A portion of the song goes;
"Well my daddy he was just a stranger
Lived in a hotel downtown
When I was a kid he was just somebody
Somebody I'd see around
Somebody I'd see around
Now down below and pullin' on my shirt
I got some kids of my own
Well, if I had one wish in this godforsaken world, kids
It'd be that your mistakes would be your own
Yea your sins would be your own...."
My son turns 4 in a week and it's awesome
being a father. However, I think
about the good and bad I've done in my 35 years and I want him to learn
from it, but not be held accountable for it. In short, I want him to make
his own way through life. To have his own identity.
~Taylor W.
Steve Reich: "Music for 18 Musicians"
Time is in stasis for me when this piece comes on, I
literally feel a physical change come across me, a
tingle up the spine, a sudden lightheaded feeling.
Music has always been true inspiration for me,
describing, relating, and helping me understand the
world.
When I hear the opening pulses of the piece my mind
suddenly focuses. I suddenly feel aware of the
slightest details not just in the sublime slow
shifting patterns of the music, but in the world
around me. I can watch the clouds drift, watch them
billow and grow. I am suddenly aware of people and
cars passing by, the shifting of light on leaves as
they blow, the beautiful imperfections in the texture
of the bark on a tree. Listening I literally feel
outside of my own mind, concerns fade and are replaced
by the beautiful movement of the world around me.
Listening to this piece is like meditation, I feel
separated from the need to go anywhere, from the daily
concerns of life, I feel tranquil, relaxed and
absorbed. It's like stepping outside myself and just
breathing in the world around me and everything is
suddenly beautiful, wondrous, and new.
When the piece stops I step back out again, peaceful,
reflective, and reminded of the beauty of life.
~Eric R.
"Nothing inspires me like hope, like
a small flicker of light in the
darkness, a song in the silence. Nothing compares to being witness to
this. For the last year I spent in graduate school, I volunteered with
the YWCA as an emergency room advocate to women who had suffered
sexual assault. People would frequently make comments to me about how
depressing it must be, wondering how I managed to not let it affect me
in an extremely negative way. My answer was always easy. While I sat
and looked into face of women suffering from the effects of tremendous
violence and callous abuses, I was not looking into darkness. These
women had been beaten, burned, and bruised. Their security had been
violated in the most extreme ways. But these women were amazing; they
were survivors. They were and continue to be an inspiration to me. I
was there to humbly serve them, to support them, and to educate them
regarding available resources. I washed their feet, held their hands,
stroked their hair and we cried together. These women were beautiful!
What they gave me was immeasurable. They were a living, breathing
testament to survival – to hope – to tomorrow. Rarely did I encounter
anger, most of what I encountered was the desire to start new, to
become whole again.
During this period, I saw the film Amandla! This is a film about the
power of music in the struggle against apartheid in South Africa.
Emerging in the midst of such struggle, such abuse, such violence was
this amazing music. This was light in the middle of darkness. This is
how I saw these women, each of them a song and a testament to the
beauty and strength of the human spirit and survival. How blessed am I
to have been witness to this! These flickers of hope and spirit
continually inspire me – and they are around every corner in a world,
which is consumed by darkness. Just keep your eyes and ears open.
Rejoice in such music!"
~Kate S.
An Even Greater One
Few have inspired the short span I have spent on this earth the way my grandpa (Charles
"Dunk" Pendleton) has. Not a day darkens that I don't shut
my eyes and curse the gods for having dealt upon him the incurable malady
that is Alzheimer's disease.
He was a strong-willed soul, one I rarely saw cry, yet on the evening I
lost my beloved hound, Max, he was there at my bedside, tears streaming down
withered cheeks.
He always had a special place in his heart for the poor, the weak, the oppressed.
So many things I hold dear are rooted in the things he once loved:
art and sketching,
bookstores and boxing,
Camel cigarettes and hooded sweatshirts,
gangster flicks and horror pics,
horse racing and jazz,
ghost tales and war films,
Peter Lorre and William Holden...
To me, he was more than an elder...
He was a comedian and a coach,
an educator and an ear,
a playmate and a pal,
a savior and a saint.
His absence will be felt forever.
No woman's love, no drink or drug, will ever pacify the pain.
I can only revel in the knowledge that in death he is at peace.
As Vladimir Nabakov once wrote:
"Life is a great sunrise. I do not see why death should not be an
even greater one."
~Ian H.
The movie "It's a Wonderful Life".
One of our family traditions during the X-mas holidays is to watch this
wonderful Jimmy Stewart movie together.
It is a movie that touches me deeply every time I watch it, esp. the scene when
he gets a second chance, enters his house, & wraps his family around him.
Seeing him hugging/kissing his wife with his kids hanging all over him is an
image that lives with me every day.
We can so easily get caught up in the daily grind & take for granted 'this richness'
that surrounds us. This movie helps me see how rich I am every day.
It IS a wonderful life,
~Kevin S.