The Greeks and Romans called it the influence of the muses. Nine goddesses inspiring music, poetry, heroics, history, prophecy, comedy, tragedy, and dance. T.S. Eliot paints a picture of inner reflection, of the thought of a thought of a thought. The Rainbow Warriors and Moses and Miriam acts on divine prophecy, bringing to life the truth their people prescribed to, and Bill Nye* has long inspired others with his own prophecy, one based in science, fact, passion, and history.
No matter what you call it, or what you believe, inspiration is part of our everyday lives. It can be as little as the thought to add chili seasoning to your favorite dish, or as grand as deciding to move across the country or world for a fresh start. It is every tiny moment of deja vu, and when you listen to a gut feeling and make the most of the time you have. The muses speak to us when we finally choose the things that bring us the most joy in life, the things we pursue throughout our lives. We employ prophecy every time we plan ahead, accounting for any tiny changes that may come our way.
What happens, though, if we feel like the muses don’t speak to us? What happens if we don’t have a singular name? How do we deal with the idea that we’ll never have a Deborah, Miriam, or Rainbow Warrior in our life? How can we rise to Bill Nye’s call and change the world?
What if, instead of separate sources of inspiration, all these sources work together and whichever source our inner voice, our inner name connects to is the one we draw from?
What are your muses? No doubt they are inspired by seemingly mundane things in your life, things you deal with on small and large scales: your children, your great love, your home, your job, or the job you wish you had. It’s taken me nearly 30 years to refine my muses to what they are now, and they come from all sources. If we ask questions of ourselves and our muses, if we listen and understand, how can we go wrong?
Miriam Patrick
*Bill Nye addresses 2015 graduating class of Rutgers University
