The Essence of Inspiration

30 Jul 2010 3 Comments

by max in Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness, Sunshine, Super Info, Thoughts Tags: beach, inspiration, sun shiner max

I like the beach.

Not because I like the coolness of the water, or the excitement of the surf or getting my tan on. I don’t even like the beach for the company and bonding experiences; no, in fact the truth is quite to the contrary, I like the beach for the seclusion. I like it for its beauty. Most of all however, I like the beach because it inspires me.

Sometimes in the early morning, before the sun even rises, I get out of bed and treck the 20 minute walk to the beach. I’m often disoriented. The street lamps are still on, and I’ll often spy a car or two with headlights blazing.  After stumbling through the darkness, I’ll reach the cool sand, and after a little more walking, my rock, a round elevated piece stone, made smooth by millenia of waves and harsh weather. Usually I’ll find that the beach is entirely empty. I’ll smile to myself and gaze out into the ocean. Sometimes by the time I reach my rock, the faint glow of the approaching dawn already illuminates the water. Slowly, the light will spill out over the horizon, and I’ll see the contours of the water more clearly: the different shades of a rolling swell, the vividness of the froth that bursts forth onto the sand. I’ll proceed to watch the entire sunset, a truly beautiful spectacle of colors and textures, a ritual as old as time itself. This inspires me.

Now I’m the kind of guy that likes to analyze the big picture, to brainstorm about and catagorize what I learn about life, the world, and myself. I find that one of the most basic and meaningful questions we can pose is this:

What should we strive for in our lifetime? Life is really too short, so naturally, we ought to figure out what we want to accomplish in our brief lifespans. There are many answers to this question. Some would say that fame and wealth and being remembered are the ultimate goals, while others dedicate their lives to learning. I for one, and  I know I’m not alone on this, strive to be happy.

So how do we stay happy? I, for example, could make myself happy by doing something I love, by being with someone I care about, and especially by making someone else happy. I have found, however, that one of the few things we need to be happy, is inspiration. What is inspiration? what motivates us to go out and be the best we can be, to take on and accomplish goals, to challenge ourselves to be confident, hardworking and selfless individuals.

So how do we stay inspired? This is the difficult question. I like to go out and find something I think is beautiful, such as a sunrise, among a thousand other things. However we all know it is quite easy to lose sight of what inspires us, to fall into the abyss of anxiety, addiction, idleness, or depression. We are not alone, however, in our quest for inspiration, and if we collaborate our ideas, and express ourselves together, whether on the internet or in person, it is much easier to lead a healthy, inspired, and happy life.

Remember, the sun shines on, and it’s especially pretty from the beach too…

much love,

max