Seven Things

Christine McCombe invited her readers to try this simple exercise of sharing seven things that inspire you.  I'll give it a try, but this may take a good long while for me to think about, since, there is plenty that inspires me everyday, but they often seem to be such little things.

1.  Having said it's little things, i'm going to start with a biggie:  The moving light and dark of the sky. It's a little, too, or a gazillion littles, because absolutely every moment of day or night, light in the Universe and how it shines toward me in any given moment or the darkness swallowing light is the essence of change.  Miracle moments of scientific analysis remaining mystery. Constantly elusive, yet so present.

2. Where sea and shore and sky meet.  the feel of tidal sands being swept between my toes, from under my feet, sinking while still; ocean breeze in my face, sun hot, moon cool, screech of a seagull, lull of a wave.

3.  Laughter.  When someone else is cracking up, I can't help but be swept away in their joy.

4. Small, quiet cuddles  with my children or my husband.  The scent of hair, skin, and peace between us.  The feel of breath and heartbeat.

5. Really good spontaneous conversation.  I love getting to know people and their stories. 

6.  Seasonal delights and travails:  Flowers from bud to bloom to browning.  Full leafed trees of summer, abundance, heat and rot. Autumn blaze and fall, cool snap and frozen rain.  Barren winter, frozen, snow and bite.

7. Creativity others and my own.  When I'm really inspired, I just keep getting more and more ideas springing forth seeming endless sparking off of each other.  And speaking of sparking off of each other, being in creative community with others, allowing them to pop and crackle - reading a Robert Penn Warren poem, enjoying an excellent meal, seeing a Botticelli in person, steeping in an Alice Walker novel connecting with others currently making their art, whatever it is, really turns me on.  The sheer act of someone else's ideas coming to fruition is an inspiration.