Thursday, August 13, 2009

Inspirations and where you find them

Where do you find your inspirations? Do you even think about it? Read a little inspirational quote, smile, and move on...or do you actually look at the people and things around you and draw strength from them?
For most of my life I've been rather oblivious to the inspirations around me. Over the last couple of years though, I've really taken a hard look at my life and realized how much strength I draw from the people and things around me.
My niece had open heart surgery, 6 days later she's home. That kind of internal strength amazes me.
My friend Skylar's dad and his family are amazing examples of human determination and grit and above all love of family.
This seems silly writing it out but the one that really made me look around is someone I don't even know. Everyday, on my way into work, I see a woman walking on the back country roads that I drive. At first I didn't notice her more than just in passing. Over time though I noticed more about her. Her walk is slightly off. She doesn't swing her arm. The side of her face droops just a bit. I finally realized she probably had a small stroke at some point. I also realized that this woman walks at least 5 or 6 miles. I see her at different points depending on how early I've driven into work. Hard work and more determination than I can imagine.
All of these people, and so many more, are inspirations to me. They help me keep my spirits up and keep me moving when sometimes I just want to sit down and give up.
What or who are your inspirations?