Sunday scribblings: Inspiration

I've been having a ball today, reading about your juicy, poetic, inticing, fantastic, literary,  and inspirational muses.

I love, love, LOVE your inspirations. But they are in many ways so very different from my muse, who I think of a somewhat more prosaic. She shows herself to me in the most ordinary places, as I read the newspaper, when I am in the middle of a meeting with an NGO or as I walk down the street.

She is in the face of the young woman who is striding purposefully towards the high school in Herat, and in the words of a wonderful friend as she shares her love for the residents of the house for homeless youth where she works.

She shines a soft light on the smallest of miracles and banishes the shadow of pointlessness. She may not be a poet, nor a painter. She is, however, as gutsy as any de-miner and as persistent as a street kid asking for change. She is brave, and she never lets me forget the possibility of change, however small that possibility may seem.

When I lose sight of her, or forget to look for her is when the sadness overwhelms me. When I keep my eyes open to her she is always there, shining out of a smile on the face of an Afghan woman or leaping off the pages of a project proposals that believes in the future.

She inspires me to keep finding new ways to bring a little relief to the suffering and a little justice to the oppressed. She is my muse and although I cannot deny that I wonder what I might be like to find inspiration in more marvelous and poetic places I love her for her willingness to get a little bit muddy, to go without hot showers and to keep believing, keep trying and keep laughing in the midst of it all.

Comments

[Nicole]

this is perfect. inspiration isn't all puppy dogs and butterflies. it can be gritty and muddled, like you mention. but, it can still be inspiring.

[Regina Clare Jane]

Oh, Frida- I love your muse... she is exactly as I pictured her. I am glad she is with you and that you share her with all of us- you are an inspiration to many of your friends. I know I couldn't do without you...
xo

[tiny noises]

yes! i just love the way you see the world, and i love the way you throw yourself into the world to make it (and us) a better place. inspiring indeed!

[Paris Parfait]

Frida, thanks for the nod. But you inspire me too. And your muse is beautiful, strong and yes, poetic, even in the most remote of places with minimal creature comforts. She represents the best of the human spirit. xo

[thefirecat]

What's the use of having a muse if she isn't willing to get her hands dirty?

People like you, and my best friend Robin Romano, inspire me more than either of you will ever know. Maybe one day the call will grow so loud I cannot ignore it.

We shall see.

[Mardougrrl]

You are actually a living, breathing muse yourself, you know that, right? And your comment to me about this post made me teary. You'll never know how much your words mean to me. xoxo,M

[Laini]

Frida, the "prosaic" details of your life are only a reminder how TRULY prosaic the details of mine are. No land mines or street kids in my day-to-day. In brief glimpses, in my very ordinary life, I have had moments where context was provided, where I saw something that made me able to truly appreciate my incredible luck at having this normal, comfortable life of mine. Living here, those context checks don't come often, because reading about something isn't usually really visceral enough to totally "get it." Sometimes it is, though. I still have an image of the small cold feet of the orphans you wrote about, as they were helped into their new socks. That was a detail that made it real to me. Your life is amazing -- thank you for sharing it!

[Scott]

Howdy Frida,

I'm working on a discussion of the affect of war on young people in Afghanistan and it seems like you have some really great experience! How do you think the war/insurgency in Afghanistan has impacted the life of youth in there? What has been your experience working in Afghanistan?

As for my inspiration, I love the sound of snow falling quietly during the night and then the roar of people getting outside and enjoying it!

Scott

[Frances]

I love the image of Inspiration walking about laughing despite being a bit muddy.
Thanks for sharing.
See you next week :)
Frances

[susanna]

YOU are an INSPIRING woman, Frida!

[AnnieElf]

Beauty is found in the most unexpected places.

[ceanandjen]

Oh, this is just beautiful. You are an amazing individual, you really are....an inpiration to every one of us!!!!!

[cath]

hello frida. i couldn't open the comments tab on your most recent post, but i wanted to say that i'm sorry you've received hostility. a friend of mine, a while back, also received some unwanted comments on her blog. i found this so disappointing. hers is a blog i love to read for it's realness and honesty. yours too. your emotion is raw, and i find your posts honest. i also find inspiration in your blog, frida, and i hope that the hostility does not make you want to put down your pen. i hope it does not close you up to the blogosphere. warmest regards.

[Regina Clare Jane]

Frida, dear- I saw the comment and it was horrid- to say the least... there's lots more I could say but I won't, out of respect for you. I am so sorry that this happened. Wasn't it ironic, too, for that comment to be made on that particular post, where respect for women was being heralded? Hence, the reason for International Women' Day and its importance... but that was lost on that commenter for sure.
We all love you, Frida. You are doing much needed work. I hope you can still find it possible to blog after that...
xoxo

[lacithecat]

Frida,

I am so concerned about this development. I would imagine the development world in Afganistain is relatively small and in Herat - particularly small. Although I love you blogging and I feel blessed to have an opportunitity to read about your experiences - I would rather have nothing if it gave you peace of mind.

If it happens again - or you just feel like walking away from blogger for a while, you could go back to an old fashioned email list (I am sure people would be more than happy to share then addresses). Just until you feel you want to come back.

Anyway, that is me thinking with my fingers.

((((hug))))

Stefanie

[Laini]

Frida, I am so horrified that someone left you a hostile comment. I can't think of who deservest that LESS than you. I hope you won't stop sharing -- your blog is a wonderful way for others of us to see into that part of the world. All best thoughts to you. I am so sorry.

[megg]

Oh, I am so sorry that you have had a bad comment. I tried to leave you a comment on the other post but it won't go. I also tried to find the comment and I can't - know that you are an inspiration. Please do whatever feels right but I hope you won't stop sharing your life on here - I would miss you!