What inspires you? A friend asked me that the other day. They were feeling like they’d lost sight of their path and needed some help finding their way back to it. Hoping what inspires me may trigger something for them. So what does inspire me?
The simple answer to the question is nature. I can’t help but be inspired when I see the glory of the natural world unfurl in front on my eyes no matter where I am. I know that I’ve been very lucky to have witnessed some of the sights in nature that I have. Lions hunting on the African plains, the migration of humpback whales in the Pacific ocean, the flash of electric blue of a kingfisher on my local river or a murmuration of hundreds of thousands of starlings coming in to roost. Alongside the sense of awe and privilege I know I have been blessed with to witness this – comes a message, something to learn.
Pretty much all the qualities we need to be humans can be found in the natural world – if we just open our eyes and our hearts to look. Look to the mountains and you’ll find strength, look to the river and you’ll find adaptability, look to the shoreline and you’ll see persistence, look to the fledgling bird taking their first flight and you’ll find courage and belief. I don’t know about you – but these qualities certainly inspire me.
As we now enter the autumn of 2021 the natural world offers us an important lesson of letting go. As the leaves change colour and fall to the ground – the tree knows that by letting go of them they are helping to provide nourishment for the colder, darker months ahead. Helping to ensure they live to see another spring. I find that to be a beautiful lesson for life.
Invitation: Wander out and spend some time with the natural world where you are. I wonder whether there is something there to inspire you.
If you feel moved to take this invitation, I invite you to share what you are noticing below.
The Eco Monkey 