How to get inspired

Oftentimes, I've felt guilty not doing what artists "should do" to get inspired - should do as in what society or others think artists do to get inspired e.g. walking through museums, trying to understand all form of arts (modern art, contemporary dance, performances, etc) or following famous photographers and knowing everything about their career... I felt that there might be something wrong with me not doing those things that others seem to be doing on a regular basis.

But then I recently came to think that doing like everyone else is not necessarily the "normal" thing to do, we're all unique, and we all get inspired in different ways.

I don't want to force myself going to the museum, looking at modern art that i don't understand and doesn't inspire me, I don't wanna do things because that's what people think i

should

do. I want to do things in a purposeful way, in a way that's meaningful to me.

Truth is, most of the time, I get inspired by tiny details and moments of everyday life.

I am inspired by the ever changing clouds, the song of the rain on the window, the sun rays beaming through the leaves - did you know that theJapanese have a specific words for that?? it's called

Komorebi

-Love that word - the burst of laughter of my nephew, the smell of dad's cooking, the hands that hold, the eyes that talk, the lips that whisper... the list is endless just as life's beauty.

And sometimes we find inspiration in the least expected ways...

Just like last week, when I was sitting on the train on my way home, the man next to me was reading some sort of magazine that looked like geeks' scientific magazines, his eyes were frenetically scanning the pages, I first looked at him quite condescendingly I must admit. I then sneak peeked again above my shoulder to see what was so exciting about this magazine, then I found myself hypnotized by what my eyes were seeing... They were images of the Universe captured by the

telescope Hubble

- Of course, I didn't know that's what it was at first- all I could see was a burst of amazing colors, voluptuous shapes created by what looked like galaxies and stars. I couldn't stop staring at the pages and I think the man noticed. He then kinda slowed down his reading to let me enjoy the moment too. He didn't say a word but I could hear : Yes, I know, it's amazing, here, have a look, I'm sharing with you.... and then it was time for me to alight at my stop. I wanted to thank him, ask him what was the name of the magazine...but I didn't dare. Damn it.

After that, I looked frenetically in every newspaper kiosk for that magazine... and one evening last week I found it! and I read it like an obsessed geek on the train home. And I'm reading it again as I'm sitting here typing with a cup of tea, chocolate and biscuits...like a Granny would read her horoscope.

 It was seriously, one of the most inspiring and fascinating things I've read and seen for a while. Here are the reasons why :

First

, because we tend to forget how amazing the Universe we live in is.

When I looked at these images I sometimes had to pinch myself to believe all this is real, it's here, all around us. I realized how we belittle the world we live in, because we are so focused on our daily lives, on our daily problems, that we tend to think that the center of the Universe is US and what surrounds US, we forget to look at a higher level, take a step back and look at the whole Universe around us and its beauty.

Antennae galaxies (c) NASA images

This is Orion nebula ... now, I dare you not to be amazed... (c) NASA images

Second

, because the story of Hubble is one of a kind and can resonate in many of us I think. When the telescope was created, only a few scientists believed in the project. Many thought it'll never work out as they considered the very first attempts as failures. But because a handful of people was determined to make it work, because they believed it will be a milestone for science, change the way we perceive the Universe, through a new way of capturing images directly from above versus from the earth, they pushed through and managed to launch Hubble out there in 1990. 25 years later, Hubble has captured more than half a million (!!) images in archives and has transformed the way scientists and public understand the

epic

scale and structure of our space. 

Galaxy M106 (c)NASA images

Now tell me that you didn't say : "wow" at least once while looking at these pics. I invite you to Google "Hubble" and read more about it. You'll be hooked !

 Conclusion: don't stick to the rules, don't cave under social pressure, don't do what others think you should do. Believe in yourself. The Universe will respond.

A special THANKS to the man on the train.

Love,

C x