The Other Kind of Inspiration

We wait and hope for the first kind, the inspiration that arrives when we need it. A sign, a quote, a book, a mentor, a muse. Lightning in a bottle.

This is the inspiration of serendipity, the magic of good fortune and good timing.

There never seems to be enough of this sort of inspiration. And if there was, we couldn't bottle it fast enough.

The other kind, though, is surprisingly abundant. This inspiration comes from acts of kindness and service.

Doing or saying something nice or necessary for someone else.

Engaging in volunteer work in your community.

An AI can simulate compassion but it can’t feel it. A robot might save a life because it’s programmed to do so, but not because it understands the sacredness of that life. Without inner life or the burden of moral freedom, AI is imitation, not humanity.

Waiting passively for inspiration to visit you is like waiting for your neighbor to bring you brownies.

Instead, when you proactively do nice things for others or give back to your community, even when you don't feel inspired at first, inspiration sneaks up on you.

As Jack London said, "Don't loaf and invite inspiration; light out after it with a club, and if you don't get it you will nonetheless get something that looks remarkably like it". 

This kind of inspiration may seem trivial, but it’s everything. It's the magic sauce of human connection. And it's not based on scarcity, but abundance.

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I’m Michael Kennedy, a resident of Olympic Valley, CA (in photo above). I’m a visual storyteller and I love exploring nature and getting lost along the way. I know we live in a world that demands our attention. I just want to say thank you for your attention. If you enjoyed this post, please share with a friend. For more photos and stories visit BlueWolfGallery.com.