All,
Have you ever asked for inspiration from one of the muses?
There are nine muses according to Greek mythology. They are supposedly responsible for the inspiration necessary for artists, philosophers, poets etc. They come and go as they please, leaving specs of ideas in our heads, leading us to create what we might not think possible. Sometimes, according to ancient legend, you can coerce one of the nine muses to grant you inspiration.
I don't believe that the muses exist. However, I do believe in sudden bursts of creativity brought on by a mysterious and unknown force. I do believe that sometimes while I'm writing these columns I have moments when I am drawing a blank until suddenly I find a rhythm. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it. And I'm sure all of you can recall moments like these throughout your lives.
The muses represent a powerful and unknown force in the universe, creative expression and how it can spontaneously happen from nowhere. I'm a big proponent of the idea that everyone has the ability to be creative in some way, shape or form. Whether it's writing, designing, dancing, singing or any other form of expression we all have something colorful and expressive to offer the world.
You might be thinking I'm exaggerating when I say that. You may be thinking, "Not everyone is creative," or maybe even "I don't think I'm very creative."
To that I ask; When was the last time you sang in the car? Did you plan on it? Or did a tune like Brown Eyed Girl or American Pie (how could you not at least hum along to those songs when they are playing) play over the radio and you fell into the tune? I bet you even added a little of your own flair to it. Maybe you were visited by a muse, according to Greek mythology.
Being creative doesn't mean you have to paint an award-winning painting or write an entire novel. Simply expressing yourself and putting your own personality into an activity or task is plenty. Sometimes the most inspiring thing a person can do is let themselves go and make something theirs.
So I challenge you today to do something creative. It could be anything, a picture of your cat on your phone, dance around the kitchen to some music when you're making dinner, or even sing in the car on your way home from work. And if you struggle, who knows, you may just get a sudden burst of inspiration from out of nowhere.
Jacob Czopek