Fighting the Blank Page

10 April 2013

Female Cardinal in a Pine tree - Columbia, Missouri.

Inspiration is like air...it's always present but it's not always easy to get ahold of. Being able to put things into words and memories into pictures is hard and many people struggle with this feat. When it comes to writing, I often times find myself fighting against the blank page before me. I see this as a challenge that nearly everyone faces at some point in their lives. However whether this be on paper or in the grand scheme of life, it's something that we all learn to overcome at one point or another. At first it takes a while to find something that's inspiring to us...we try to work inside the lines... tailoring our thoughts and actions to fit the mold of what's expected in the real world. Eventually, the lines can't hold what we love anymore and we're forced to make a decision - to take that leap of faith - into the unknown, hoping that there's more beyond what we've been told. This is where I find most people to be stuck. As humans, we don't like the unknown. This is why we own planners, keep tabs of events in our lives on our smartphones, etc. Once those boundaries are broken and we venture into the unknown, inspiration and opportunities come flowing in from all around.

"The journey of 1,000 miles begins with a single step..."

In life, we're always concerning ourselves with how far ahead we can get from our competitors. The more I experience of the real world, the more I see this task as futile. People should be able to work for something they love and not have to worry about where everyone else stands around them. Life is too short to worry about what can hold you back. The lines that constantly keep us from exploring more are just guidelines, rather than rules of the road. Fighting the blank page of life is easier than we think. While it sounds cliché, the easiest way to overcome it, I think, is to just close your eyes and breathe for a little while...clear your head. In order to think clearly you must see clearly and, more often than not, everyday life gets in the way of it all.