Inspiration

I believe in inspiration- big and small. I believe in giving thanks to God for the things often overlooked. Sometimes- I close my eyes and silently say “Thank you Lord- for I am able. You allow me to walk even when I am tired. You give me the capacity to understand even though at times I feel inadequate, and You’ve granted me the ability to love and feel despite the pain sometimes associated with it.” I consider these things beautiful and they deepen my vigor for life. I believe in the sun shining on my face to remind me that I am truly living and not just alive. I believe in the red light that turns green when you’re rushing to reach your destination, and the little child in her stroller that waves so innocently at you as you walk by- just because. Moments like these remind me to slow down and truly appreciate the divine ordination of my God. The comfort I need always comes, often times, in the most unconventional ways. Maybe it was the wrong turn I took while driving that led me to a sunflower field- insignificant to most but HE knows it’s my favorite flower. Maybe it was the long, very irritating checkout line at the supermarket where my only goal was to make it through without making eye contact with a single person to avoid conversation. Until- all of a sudden I realize that the lady in front of me is elderly, alone, and unable to load her groceries onto the conveyer. It’s moments like these that awaken my soul to the fact that I am incapable of desensitizing myself from the basic principles of human nature, and I take comfort in that. I believe in the humble and persistent struggle of both of my parents to increase their quality of life and provide a world full of opportunities for me and my siblings. My father was born number seven of nine to a single mother in a small village in Ghana, West Africa. He tells me of the burn marks on his feet from the hot sand and clay on his daily walks to school. He tells me of how he only had one school outfit, so when he wanted to go play outside with his friends he had to wrap one of his mothers head cloths around his waist. Most compellingly, he reminds me of the first time he ever saw a large caravan enter his village. He was seven years old and the people in the caravan happened to be Dentists on a missions trip to provide the village people with oral examinations and dental products. Previously my father had been using a chewing stick to clean his teeth, but He remembers receiving his first toothbrush and how exciting it was for him. My father is now a very successful Physician that loves his job and is extremely revered by all those he comes in contact with. His story is my inspiration, I believe in the little boy in the village essentially untouched by civilization that deserves a chance. Those Dentists will never understand the magnitude of what they did that day, but by improving my fathers quality of life they gave him the encouragement he needed to dream big and persistently push forward even though the odds were stacked against him. Who knows? Maybe I will also give a little boy or girl a toothbrush one day that will change the course of their life, and affect their future generations just as I have been affected-this is what gives me insuppressible energy. Now I question if there’s a such thing as “ small“ inspiration- because most of the things we consider small are truly large in magnitude. So now when I am tired and weighed down, I choose to stand. When I feel overwhelmed by my workload I remember that God has given me the capacity to learn and understand despite the illusive limitations I place on myself, and lastly when I am emotionally pained or disappointed- I remember that this is exactly what makes me human- and there is so much beauty in that. This I believe.