Inspiration From the Most Unexpected Places: Shared Entry

What if your worst nightmare could one day become a bestselling novel? Inspiration comes from a variety of places, maybe from your friends, from work, or from a goal you’d like to accomplish. It is in every nook of this Earth, some expected places, and some unexpected places. The unexpected places, especially, seem to draw out the deepest words. Here are some places we were inspired by:

Inspiration From Nature

“My throat begs for water, and sweat drips down my forehead like a waterfall. However, the strings of curiosity are much stronger. They draw me to places that were picture-perfect. These places reflect nature’s beauty and the life it provides to Earth’s bare soil. Plants and trees grow in every direction, but always connect back to the soil. It’s similar to humans, we have different lives, but we are all the same in that we are imperfect human beings. We are born to make mistakes and grow from them no matter what walk of life we are from.” -Raven

“It was a special spot. A special spot that only I felt, a special spot that was the exact definition of "breathtakingly beautiful." Blue, orange, and white butterflies fluttered everywhere like the glitter in a snow globe during the day time. The faces of the houses covered a large surface area, which stood in contrast to the small patches of dry, green grass around the neighborhood. But, the odd contrast was what made it special. And the night times were perfect for walking, because the only creatures outside during that time were huge toads, toads I was frightened of. But as time passed on, I appreciated those toads because I overcame my fear for them. My special spot was special not only for its beauty, for the lessons it taught me.” -Dash

Inspiration From the Track

“Wow, I’m really back at my old school. I looked up at the soft clouds dotted across the purple sky looking like puffs of cotton. The school track still looks like delicious red velvet Oreos, and the houses look the same atop the hills. Or maybe it’s not all the same I thought staring at the new buildings, it was once light brown sand and mucky yellow trucks. Then a cool breeze blew on my neck, as if it wanted to comfort me. Maybe cold air is good sometimes. A little shift in the warmth of life’s waters is sometimes necessary.” -Raven

“Practice. Practice. Practice. People don’t get anywhere without practice. The fastest sprinters in this world aren’t naturally fast without practice. Talent may come from birth in certain cases, but practice can also develop a talent you never had. I can set a foot on this track thinking I can never get anywhere, or I can set a foot on this track thinking I can develop my inner-athlete. My thoughts define it, my efforts define it, my practice defines it.” -Dash

Art

“There’s something missing in this vast, mysterious compilation of life and its changing experiences. Each episode demands for an unknown want, or rather a need in some cases: a visual. It’s not an ordinary visual you’d look at. It’s not a piece you study at a history class involuntarily. It’s a piece you can emotionally bond with, a piece made just by you: a drawing, a painting, a craft composed of old shreds of fabric. Anything. It’s any creation you made that you feel so proud of, and that’s exactly what’s been missing to me for the past few months: a certain thing that I can look back on and feel a sense of accomplishment. But, that’s when drawing kicks in. That is what art brings me: a sense of pure satisfaction, just by looking back on what I just finished: a masterpiece of progress.” - Dash

Music

“The flute it's spectacular. The strings of the guqin tug on my soul. The sonorous combination puts me into a meditative state, one where I realize the true definition of the word “me.” Music has never evoked such emotions before. I’m more understanding of myself and the society I live in. Tears never rolled down into such a continuous stream. It’s like a river, a river that provides life, not one that floods. Sincerity. From everything I just vented, it’s the one word that effectively describes what I’m feeling. Sincerity is the only word.” -Dash

"It’s often words that provide meaning to the humming in my heart. It’s often words that do the healing, when the music starts. And when I dig deeper in, they cascade down my spine, touch my heart, give me a loop de doo in the tummy, and activate my hands. Mind and soul are united. They collapse, sink in with no hesitation, feeling completely safe and warm in the security that is music. For the first time I feel truly alive and more than that, understood."

-Raven

Friends

“The clock showed that 4 hours had passed by in the zoom meeting. 4 hours of pouring out every thought with my friend, some meaningful, others completely random. It was very freeing to talk like that as we were comfortable with each other and respected different opinions. Each time an idea was shared, another added to it, then another and another, all building up to ideas about our universe as a whole. Then, when our dreaded responsibilities pulled us away, we reluctantly said goodbye feeling as if there could’ve been more to say.The excitement never left me though, I was eager to learn more and piece together parts of the puzzle of life. It was wonderful to create our own special perspective of what our world is.” -Raven

Dreams

“ Thud. The Thing Of Nightmares came closer to me, I froze. I said something, these words that weren't quite words. The tears started gushing out of my eyes as a sharp pain pierced the middle of my chest. It felt as if I was in two realms. My emotions ran wild in the realm of dreams, while my mind seemed to understand that I was having a nightmare. Wake up, we have to go, said a familiar voice. The string thinned even more between my dreams and reality, until it finally broke. A cold sweat took over my body as I woke up, snuggling into my pillow for comfort. Sometimes reality is an escape from fantasy just as fantasy can be an escape from reality.” -Raven