Yea, let's tattoo this on my body forever...
I only have one tattoo. Just one small word on the outside of my wrist that I thought was important enough to keep on my body forever. Don't get me wrong I like tattoos - David has a number of them - but for me the process of getting mine was slow and came after a lot of thought...
If I asked you what inspires you, what would you say?
Your response might include: nature, music, books, people, or a number of other things. The point is that all of these experiences lead to at least a small part of you that has been changed because of your interaction with them.
There's a passage in one of my favorite books, "Through Painted Deserts" by Donald Miller, where he writes about his wanderings through the wilderness and how crazy it is that God created the mountains, and in all of their grandness, they remain silent so God can hear man's pitiful praise.
Thoughts like this don't come unless you are struck in your core – in your soul. Inspiration draws something out of us... grappling, yearning, a sense of awakening...
Donald Miller felt swallowed by the scale of beauty and awe displayed in the power of mountains and it's stark contrast with man's depravity. Later he begins to understand the breadth of grace through this metaphor and the dichotomy he found in nature. But the point is, he is inspired and responds by putting into words the journey of this revelation.
Inspiration changes us.
It begins with how we think, then how we talk, how we build relationships, and the steps we take to shape our life and ultimately our legacy.
And yet, what we produce isn't a mere duplicate of what we experience but rather an echo – God gives us the ability to be a part of the creative process. We can mix in our unique experiences and talents and create on a foundation that has already been built. We add to that foundation and hope that what we contribute will continue to inspire others as we have been inspired. And the cycle goes on and on.
As beautiful as it is to be a part of the creative process, we can become overly enamored with creation(s) and forget its true source. Again, everything we experience is an echo of something before it. So what inspired all the things we are inspired by?
The root of the word "inspired" means "God-breathed". I thought long and hard about it before deciding to get it tattooed. For me, it serves as a reminder that it's impossible for me to ever be "un-inspired", because this breath has been given to me and can't be taken away. I can waste it by holding it in and letting fear keep me from being a part of the creative process, or I can spend it by adding to a foundation that was laid out before me. But one thing's for certain, I am never un-inspired because life is God-breathed.
IG: @KatyGregory
Half Japanese | Twinja | Digital Marketing
My ideal day is feeling productive, eating ramen, and roaming around the container store. I am the practical, easy-going half of Dave and Kate.