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Hello current and recent Subscribers! Thank you for hanging in there with me. It’s been a busy fall and a bit of a crazy time for us all. My husband, and I celebrated our 35th Anniversary by going on a trip to Portugal and Spain. I know, lucky us! It was an amazing trip, many sights to see, many beautiful cities to explore, and oh, so many bookish surprises. On reflecting back on our trip and getting back into my writing, I thought about what inspires me? What makes me get up at 5am, open my lap top, and put words on a blank page?

Connection. Travel can be very inspiring. I love the beautiful sights and new places to discover! Museums, art, architecture, landscapes, books, oh, my! But for me, it’s people. It’s connection to people’s words or a moment shared that inspires ideas or change for the better.

After visiting a bookstore in Porto, Portugal called The Lavraria Lello, known for being the most beautiful bookstore in the world, I was left with a moment of connection that left me inspired and full of hope. I’ve been in love with books for as long as I can remember. I love bookstores (I love the smell!) and libraries. This bookstore is also known as the bookstore that inspired JK Rowling to include a version of it, Flourish and Blotts, in Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets.) While I stood at the top of the staircase admiring the gilded ceiling and the shelves of books printed in every language, there was another woman standing next to me who I noticed was doing the same. I said to her, “Isn’t this beautiful?” And she replied, “Yes, it really is.” I asked where she was from, and she said Germany. I felt an immediate connection with this fellow human. A connection shared through the written word, passion, and beauty. My heart was full.

Another moment of connection that left me inspired was at the grocery store right after the election. I was part of a Random Act of Kindness. An older man asked me if I needed a carriage. It was a small gesture, but a kind one. I replied, “No. But thank you.” There was a lady next to me who said, “It doesn’t matter what’s going on in the world. It matters what’s in here,” she pointed to her chest. That moment inspired me to want to open minds and hearts with my words and help children see how much they’re loved and valued. And to remind people their ideas are uniquely theirs and they too can be an inspiration. That moment renewed my faith in humanity and reassured me there’s still plenty of good in this world. Inspiration has a ripple effect. If I feel inspired by something, or someone, I want to share it with others, I want to share it with the world, to help make the world a better place. 

When our hearts are full, inspiration and love can enter. For me, inspiration also comes from the breakdown of barriers, the sharing of one’s heart, and soul without fear or limitations no matter where you are in the world that makes one feel connected.

Let me know your thoughts about what inspires you!! Do you use a playlist when you write to help keep you inspired? Do you have a Pinterest Board? I’d love to hear from you!

Kate

“The greatest glory in living, lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”—

                                                                                     Nelson Mandela