Inspiration

Today’s Bloganuary challenge prompt is: Who inspires you?

Inspire is an interesting word because it both means to motivate and to breath in. From Google, we learn “Middle English enspire, from Old French inspirer, from Latin inspirare ‘breathe or blow into’ from in- ‘into’ + spirare ‘breathe’. The word was originally used of a divine or supernatural being, in the sense ‘impart a truth or idea to someone’.” So we are looking for someone who breathes new life into us. If this comes as an interview question, Indeed has a framework for answering this question quickly and neatly.

However, in my experience, inspiration is neither quick nor neat nor can be completely carried by only one person. It is one of the closest things I have experienced to real magic and I receive inspiration from family and fiction, near and far. Just about every member of my extended family has breathed new life into me, but especially my parents, who have always done their best to support and prepare me for whatever comes next. I love the chemist mother in “A Wrinkle in Time” as she leans into weaving together her personal life and scientific exploration. I’m inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision in “I Have A Dream.” to create more freedom and equality for all of us.

As I get older, however, I start to think that although inspiration is important, it might be even more important to remove the sources that extinguish your spark, that take the air out of your sails, and smother you to the point you feel ready to expire. Whether it is media that shows people being mean to know reason to their supposed friends or a real-life companion that dims your glow, no amount of inspiration can overcome a strong enough sink.