“The process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.”
– Oxford Dictionary
Finally, neither more important nor less than Food, Energy, and Health: Inspiration. Without inspiration, could humanity live with meaning and purpose? Should we, as a society and individuals, invest in activities and ventures which provide no tangible results other than to inspire? My simple, farm-raised 86 year-old grandmother would say no; at least when it comes to sending rockets to space. She sees no value in spending billions to send a tin-can up into who knows where. Though I very much cherish and love my grandmother, I disagree. Allow me to first defend rockets and space exploration and then I’ll elaborate on inspiration in general.
If you’ve never seen a rocket launch in person, I encourage you to do so. Even if you have no inclination towards science, math, flight, or exploring the galaxy, just go. As the rocket fuels up, great white plumes dissipate from its surface, giving the impression of a fog machine at a concert or a freezing bowl of nitrogen ice-cream. The countdown begins and you can’t escape a feeling of tension: there are real-life humans (on occasion), just like you or me, strapped into that rocket about to be blown into the sky and end up in a place very few have been – space. The countdown reaches T-0 and a shockwave escapes the rocket as it achieves liftoff, however, because you’re standing miles away, the effect on you is delayed; it starts as a low rumble traveling through the air into your ears and through the ground into your feet. Then, it hits you unexpectedly in full force. For what feels like minutes, but is only on the scale of seconds, you experience a deep sound reverberate within you, as if you yourself are being fueled for lift-off. As you watch that tin-can arc across the sky, trailed by an intense light, you almost think you’re flying alongside. If you’ve never seen a launch, you should; and, if you have and never felt empowered and inspired by the rumble which fills your entire being, you should probably see the doctor – something is very wrong my friend. As I mentioned, you don’t have to be a science geek to appreciate the tension, expectation, and experience of a rocket launch. And that’s the beauty of space exploration. After witnessing such an incredible feat, one cannot help but seek to achieve all he/she has in mind, regardless of inclination.
And so, I promised earlier to expand this illustration of a rocket to the importance of inspiration in general. Inspiration provides a drive to mankind. Even on the worst of days, a little inspiration delivers the activation energy needed to get off your behind and put something out into the world. Inspiration breeds productivity, followed by fulfilment and, occasionally, great success. To me inspiration and joy are synonymous, or at least closely related. Both are like clear lenses through which you can see the world in all its potential splendor, if only you actually look. Try to convince me, or yourself, that you could live a happy, joyous, full life for a complete week without being “mentally stimulated” or having the remotest desire “to do or feel something.” As humans, we run on inspiration. I hope you realize I’m not just talking about those fleeting moments when you see something cool and are “inspired” to do something that instant before the effects wear off. I’m talking about those moments when your mind is engaged with possibilities and your hands are free to do, to create, to feel! This is inspiration. This is what it means to live.
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