Inspiration, here & now
an antidote for these times
Last week I wrote about Resilience and hope. As a companion to those sentiments, I’ve been thinking more about hope and inspiration in these particular times.
In the U.S., we’re just over one week away from a contentious presidential election. Given the rhetoric and the stakes around this election, it’s doubtful that we’ll see any sort of definitive results (or any immediate change in the charged political atmosphere regardless of results) on November 5th.
At the same time, we’re entering into the hectic fall-to-winter holiday season. When I shopped for Halloween candy yesterday, I spotted aisles of lit-up Christmas trees and festive wrapping paper. October’s almost over, and November and December will pass quickly as they tend to do. It’ll be end of the year before we know it.
Whether we’re feeling anxiety and tension around the election and/or the build-up of the impending holiday hoopla and the rush to year’s end, maybe it’s time to pause. To stop. To sit in the moment. To be with the beauty around us, wherever we may find it. To tune into our senses and our surroundings.
Back in February, I wrote about Inspiration & comfort. That post was prompted by a long stretch of gray winter weather.
This post is prompted rather by these contentious times.
And the uncertainty of what lies ahead.
Where can we take a pause or a break?
Where can we find inspiration?
Remember to start small. Remember that a moment of peace or joy or inspiration doesn’t need to be a grandiose experience or singular gesture.
Look at the photo of the leaves above. Look at those colors! The vibrant purples and oranges are bursting with inspiration and joy! I spotted these leaves on a tiny tree on the campus where I work, smack dab in the middle of a busy city. On a 15 minute walk during my lunch break. Stopping to appreciate these leaves - to circle the tree and notice the different shades of orange and red and purple, to see how the light filtered through the branches - immeasurably improved my day. And indeed looking at the photograph now also brings me joy.
I didn’t need an excursion to the countryside to see the fall colors. I didn’t need to drive across the country or fly to some exotic locale to be in nature. Rather - here and now. A small tree in downtown Milwaukee. Not, of course, that there’s anything wrong with excursions or trips or big events. However, we don’t have access to those experiences everyday. And some people don’t have access to those experiences at all. PLUS - we can think of why we enjoy those types of “big” experiences and try to bring some of that energy into our everyday lives rather than focus so much on those rare occasions.
Along the same lines of starting small and finding inspiration each day, it’s also important to remember that we can dabble in the activities we enjoy. Not everything has to be a big project or endeavor. I need to remind myself of this regularly. Last week I wrote about it on Instagram when I did a bit of watercolor painting.
I tend to think that these types of activities are for long stretches of time or for weekends. I’m hoping to lean more into my yearning for bursts of creativity, joy, and play on a regular basis. Even when I don’t have a lot of time.
How can we incorporate the activities we enjoy in small ways each day?
Maybe belting out our best hype song in the car on the way to work, maybe dancing around the kitchen to our favorite dance tune while making dinner, maybe pulling out our kids’ old art supplies and coloring or painting for 20 minutes, maybe taking a spin on our bike around the neighborhood even if we don’t have time for a long ride, maybe swinging at the playground or shooting some hoops at our local park.
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I’ll share two more experiences that brought me inspiration this week.
And then I hope you’ll also share in the comments things that are inspiring you and ways that you’re finding small moments of joy in daily life.
First, my friend Majorie Pagel had her book release event on Monday. I’ve been fortunate to be in writing groups with Marjorie on and off over the years. I’m inspired by her in so many ways - by her writing, by the way she lives her life, and by the way she encourages other writers, to name a few. The event was a true delight. We got to hear Marjorie read a couple of her pieces in her joyful way. Tap the link to learn more about Pastiche: a memoir in poetry and prose by Marjorie Pagel. I’ll also mention that the book is published by another writer friend and inspiration, Christi Craig, who has lead our #PentoPaper groups for many years and runs Hidden Timber Books /
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Second, our neighborhood celebrated our annual Halloween block party and trick-or-treat event yesterday. It’s inspiring to see this event, which I first organized twenty years ago, still going strong. Although my own children are grown and other neighbors have taken over the organizing, it’s a joy to be part of this event. To connect with neighbors, to see all the creative decorations and inventive costumes, to pass out candy to the excited kiddos. All a delight!
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Here’s hoping we all find ways to pause in the midst of these difficult times and find joy, hope, and inspiration.
Here’s hoping that we can also be a source of joy, hope, and inspiration to others - a smile, a check-in text or call, a thoughtful compliment, a helping hand to a friend or neighbor, a volunteer shift at local nonprofit. So many ways to make a difference.
With care and gratitude,
Mary
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P.S. Can you do me a favor? If you read this post and something resonates with you, can you tap the heart button here on Substack. It’s so nice to know who’s reading, and that gives me a little spark of joy. Thanks!
P.P.S. Vote! Vote! Vote! Early voting is now open in many states.
If you’re in Wisconsin, find more info here: https://myvote.wi.gov/en-us/
If you’re in a different state, find more info here: https://vote.gov/
Thank you for the mention, Mary. It was so nice seeing you in person! And I love that image of the leaves. And love this: Whether we’re feeling anxiety and tension around the election and/or the build-up of the impending holiday hoopla and the rush to year’s end, maybe it’s time to pause. To stop. To sit in the moment. To be with the beauty around us, wherever we may find it. To tune into our senses and our surroundings.
As you know, I have a gratefulness journal. Every morning I write three things for which I am grateful. Many mornings I am writing about something specific from the previous day that is still lingering and vibrating in my consciousness. I'm not sure if my entries are all inspirations but they are certainly comforts in some sense of the word and sources of joy for me. From this past week - a counter full of fresh, bright fruits and veggies, my daughter's voice, the smell of my hand soap, a soft pillow, the broom and sweeping the floor, sunlight and shadows creating a mood, completing a puzzle, the waning moon, a bonfire, silence, a neatly made bed, bumping into an old friend on the street. synchronicities, a favorite poem, a good belly laugh, holding my mom's hand.