Inspiration

Creative people are often asked about their sources of inspiration. Sources include personal experiences, the experiences of relatives and friends, social issues, current affairs, spirituality and mysteries. There are instances when occurrences that may seem insignificant or strange can awaken a flow of thoughts. This is true not only for the creative. Most people, if they quiet themselves and seek to look beyond the surface, can discover treasures they never knew existed and which may lead to more fulfilling life experiences.

Recently, as I walked by a place of worship, the grey eyes of an old man silenced the noise and bustle for just a few moments. They were the eyes I had seen on old relatives and other elders. They were eyes that seemed to hold answers, like keys to link the present and the past. The old man’s wrinkled skin reminded me of our transient nature. He stood on the edge of the premises, beckoning me to wander inside. However, there seemed to be little activity in the building and even if there were, I still would have gently declined. Nevertheless, I left him smiling and for the next few days he would become a prominent figure in my thoughts as questions lingered about the purpose of the experience. Many would say that he was only trying to ‘win another soul’ but in seeking to look beyond the surface, I realised that there was a deeper lesson and later as I juxtaposed two occurrences that occurred within a short window of time, I began forming a narrative.

After the old man, I encountered a couple of young men a short distance from the religious institution. They sat near a little stand that was erected near a lantern post with items like cigarettes and mints. The young men, partly because of how they have been nurtured and partly because of their natures, do not hold their tongue when a woman walks by. Their usual propositions were accompanied by eyes not grey with wisdom but glaring with lust. As always, it was an aggravating occurrence that vexed the spirit and sought to erase the sobering experience I had had with the old man just a few moments before.

Most harassers of women disagree that they are at fault. Often, they verbally assault those who respond with disapproval or choose not to respond at all. Debates with such reprobates often do not result in behaviour change. I do, however, believe that if more women stood their ground instead of ignoring them or retaliating with verbal assaults or in many cases approving such behaviour, change may come slowly.

The old man and the young men provided two different experiences in a short time and both left an impression. Both inspired me form a narrative.

The old man’s invitation to enter the beautiful yet empty building could speak to emptiness many people experience. Many people seem beautiful and fulfilled based on their outer appearance but are in fact hollow. Some may also find themselves in places of worship trying to follow the rules they believe would guarantee some afterlife paradise but may lack true understanding of what it means to be connected to the greatness within.

The old man’s approach was out of love and good intentions. As I continued to analyse the experience, I thought that another purpose was to remind me to remain focused on my purpose and not to be distracted by that which seeks to delay happiness and giftwrap misery. Regardless of whether we choose religion, spirituality, agnosticism or atheism, our paths are often overshadowed by doubts, fears and distractions and instead of always being in tuned with the energies to remain focused on our purpose, we lose ground. We must purposefully fight to overcome.

The young men were shallow. They were not interested in seeing beyond the surface. They were not interested in saving a soul or the spirit. But if they were to grow to the age of the old man, perhaps, one day, their eyes too would be grey with wisdom and their intentions would have been shaped by experiences that would inspire one to look beyond the surface.

While often the initial responses to lewd men are annoyance, anger and sometimes even fear, they can also remind one to maintain one’s equilibrium. The actions of others must not dictate our stability. We are the creators of our lives and in charge of maintaining our order. We can choose to engage or disengage, educate or ignore, but if we are on a mission to maintain our balance, though the noise around us may affect our steadiness, we will remain on course.

Occurrences in our country often throw us off balance. Many Guyanese have probably never felt completely safe or assured. Many are stricken by fears, languish in grief, are seduced by ignorance and stifled by powerlessness. The evidence suggests that though our small population is very religious, many are out of touch with the divine within. If we truly know how to empower ourselves as individuals, the shaky foundation will not cause us to fall because we possess knowledge of self and are in constant pursuit of wholeness.

For the old man, the path to the divine existed within the walls of the building in which he beckoned me to enter, but he could not see that I had already found it.

The current climate in our country continues to disturb the balance. Many are emotionally affected by the politics. The spirit of cohesiveness is being shattered in some circles by the insecurities and errors of men. But as individuals we must be reminded to stay on course. Despite the influences around us, the noise and efforts to pull us apart, we must remember who we are and why we exist. We must be inspired by what we hope to become and if life grants us the privilege of aging to the point where our eyes become grey and we are libraries of failures and successes, the generations after us may find inspiration by looking into our eyes.