Inspiration... From... To...

Reading a good book is a really personal experience that taps into us on so many levels. Maybe even more than for a movie, we "don't get it" when someone else doesn't enjoy the book we love. Great reads inspire us all to do many things in our lives, other than to just write. The person who repairs your car might have been inspired by "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." The person you vote for in the next election may have been inspired to run for office by "The Godfather." Books didn't inspire me to try my hand at writing.
The inspiration for me came from the workplace. As a scientist, people in the arts seemed far removed from our world. But when I moved to a service-oriented department, many opportunities arose to work with people in the fine arts. In my life, the arts quickly took on much greater value; they are not much different from the sciences, diversified and engaging. I found myself surrounded with opportunities to observe artists practicing their craft. If support for the arts has been historically weaker than for the sciences, then artists have been made stronger. They support and motivate and collaborate and often live their discipline around the clock.
When I tinkered with the idea of writing, neither the arts community nor the people I work with laughed; they offered support, ideas, contacts, encouragement, and shared their experiences and advice.
So we draw inspiration from everywhere, and inspiration helps drive us in the direction we want to move. I have been inspired and motivated to do a lot of things in my life. Right now writing feels good.
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-WDC