Needing Inspiration

I have been going through the paces of living this past little while. Unmotivated and uninspired, I have just been waking up in the morning and going through the paces of my days. By yesterday I was digging myself into a small pit. I was starting to wonder how to start digging my way out.

Then ... one phone call transformed my thought waves.

I was invited to join my cousin's family and friends as they were gathering in a nearby restaurant to watch their son perform.

The last real memory that I have of this 'first cousin, once removed', was from a family gathering almost 16 years ago. He and 3 other family members formed a band and they performed a few songs for the event we were celebrating that day. He was 14 years old and was the drummer for the band.

Now, at age 30 ... he is a drummer for an up and coming singer. The music that they make together is amazing. But what really struck home for me, was the fact that this now 30 year old followed the passion of his 14 year old self. What a feat that is ... to continue to follow a path that leads to destinations unknown.

I have a few unsung hero's of the 30 year old genre.

The second one is my nephew, who is an aspiring comedian who has set lofty goals and is striving to achieve them. He is creating a name for himself, doing something that he loves to do. He is following his dream and making it become his reality.

My third hero that was born in the year 1978, is my own son.

He is living a less public dream. He grew up in a home which had a lot of upheaval. We endured a lot of conflict as we weathered his teen years together. He left home under less than ideal circumstances. And he survived.

He created his present day life on his own. He surrounded himself with friends that got him through. He worked loyally, at a low paying job that was going no where ... because it paid the bills. He met someone special and has been with her for over 9 years. He opened himself to new ideas. He was determined to find a way to support himself in a fashion that he believed that he deserved. He researched careers, the job market, the wages and the education he would require to achieve his goal.

He put himself through school. Last spring, he graduated. His education is bought and paid for - he did it by himself. He has been working at his new career for close to a year and is enjoying a standard of life and living that he worked hard for.

All three of my hero's followed their own path. Each of them took risks to get them to where they are today. Each of them believed in themselves.

Success isn't defined by anyone else. It is something within. It comes from following your heart. It comes from following the path that feels right. But it doesn't end there. Once you climb the mountain, you can only enjoy the view for so long before you need to descend back down to earth and envision climbing the next one.

I believe that I've been sitting at the bottom of that mountain for too long. I'm tired and I know that my energy will come from ascending my next new height.

Sitting in the audience last night, I was basking in the glow from someone who was climbing their own mountain. I was inspired.