Voices, they can carry the most melodic tune, sounding like the angels of heaven parted the clouds allowing us a gift for the ears. Do you think this post is about singing? Perhaps, this is about words spoken. Not the ones that are spoken without a care, but the ones with heart. Those words that come from souls who have opened their mouths to convey the most inspiring, kind and thought provoking lyrics. The ones you will play over and over again throughout your day.
Finding inspiration for me usually goes without saying. It is found among the tallest of pines, the highest of mountains, the furriest of mammals and the littles. However, not this time. I have been recalling this conversation with an adult for over 3 months now. Let me just add that the humans I connect with the most are preschoolers and 70+ year olds and now, everything in-between. And so it goes, inspiration will find you in those places of which you never thought to look.
It was an unusually warm day in the mountains for August and we were setting out to do a little rafting to get that oh-so-needed adrenaline going. So in the car we piled up ready to take on a river that had less rapids than this crew was used to, but we were going to be on the water and out in nature nonetheless.
"Alisa", I hear the guide call to me signaling to grab an oar while executing the proper seating style in the raft. Currently, the guide is sizing up my family to see how we respond to direction and at this time responsive action is questionable because it is a little early and the liquid caffeine is still working hard to take effect. However, we will rise to the occasion as we often do.
As we set out along the river we turn, get stuck, fall out, dive off rocks, have lively conversation along the way and then the experience slowly takes a turn. We start talking about food. Ah yes, the beloved bond between our heart and stomachs, literally. "Where should we eat? What is everyone's favorite food?" The entire raft is completely engaged. It is within this conversation that our guides soul seems to shine a little brighter as she excuses herself and starts to speak from the heart. Below is a paraphrased version of "her story".
It seems we had been rafting with a famous model who had been all over the world, dined with the rich and famous and seen a part of society that mere mortals rarely ever set eyes upon. Our raft slowly glided over rocks and started to slow down as she continued to tell story upon story that was causing my eyes to widen and jaw to drop. After a few more, many would have looked at her and thought she had it all and then gave it away, but if you could have felt her words and seen her face, you would have known that this was not the case. To her, fame was fleeting, true friends were hard to come by and food was exhausting to constantly think about. After a while of living this lifestyle, she knew this was not a life she wanted to live. She felt her soul being pulled to another destination. A paradise that was not on the cover of a magazine, but guiding tourists along the river toward the sun. It was waking up in her van with a dog she had adopted and come to love so much. It was having friends who thought nothing of her past fame, but everything of her warm and generous spirit. This woman had followed her soul and little does she know, has become one of the most inspiring people in my life.
I hope that you are following your heart. I hope that what you are currently doing sets your soul on fire and if not, what are you waiting for?
Bye for now!
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