Inspiration strikes in the most unlikely places. You can be walking past a shop and see something in the window that takes your fancy … you can be sitting quietly in a park meditating on your future or you can be listenting to a song and find the words mean something new for your day.
The word “inspiration” carries within it, a history of breathing. It sounds like “respiration”, it echoes in my mind like the pounding of a heartbeat. When I think of inspiration, I think of life.
Recently I have been the recipient of a wonderful gift. But when it first arrived, it did so with great fury. It was so sudden, and so unexpected, that this gift appeared to be wrapped in great pain and tremendous sorrow. We stood and looked at it, not able to fathom the torrent of our emotions. We daren’t touch or lift to shake. In the end, my family and I sat down around it, and waited — each alone in our anguish.
When I heard the news that my father-in-law had been in a cycling accident I had no words. There was only action. There was only urgency. And the clock marched on. We visited and left, waited and walked, distracted ourselves and went through the cycle of hope and despair over and over. The hospital corridors became familiar.
When I visited Noel, I would speak like he could hear me. I would tell him stories from the day, the week, the news. I would joke with him, and touch his arm. I would watch the instruments and monitors and listen to the din of the respirators helping him to breathe.
With every day came a new challenge to overcome. With every night came a new fear. We would wake, exhausted and at day’s end, fall into bed unable to sleep. But slowly, progress was made. Noel responded to treatment. He began to initiate his own breathing. He began to wake … the smallest of improvements was cause for celebration but an equally small problem would spiral us into depression.
In the midst of this crisis for us all, came an unexpected source of inspiration and generosity. My blogging friends had banded together and come up with a plan … and before I knew it, the generosity and energy had spread. My friends had put together a special blogroll — a FoGroll — Friends of Gavin.
FOGROLL
The Viral Garden
Resonance Partnership
Mindblob
Masi Guy
Marketing Profs: Daily Fix
Marketing Nirvana
Logic + Emotion
It Could Get Worse 2.0
HolyCow
Hee-Haw Marketing
Greg Verdino 2.0
eSoup
Drew’s Marketing Minute
CrapHammer
ConverStations
Conversation Agent
CK’s Blog
ChaosScenario
BlogHer
bizsolutionsplus
Biz and Buzz
Can we change the world? Perhaps. Can we change a person’s world? Absolutely. These generous people put their time, thought and energy into doing something for us when we were having trouble getting from day to day. They raised some money for our medical expenses, for which we are truly grateful, but more importantly, their words and their actions showed that belonging and friendship knows no boundaries.
Tomorrow we will visit Noel. He has a long and challenging recovery ahead of him. But he is not alone, and neither are we. Out of all this, we have all become closer … the dynamics of our relationships have shifted and changed. But at the centre of it all we have found a renewed sense of belonging and of our own place in the world. And it is a truly humbling experience to find yourself unexpectedly loved and cared for.
I want to change the world. But, I can tell you, my world has already changed. Thanks to you all.
You are already changing the world, Gav. One blog post at a time. 🙂
Your post brought tears to my eyes, Gavin.
Thanks for sharing so deeply with us over these months and in this post.
When I first started reading Angela and your posts at Noel’s blog, it really impressed me what a great comfort your posts must have been to concerned friends and family members that weren’t able to visit Noel and find out how he was. The road to recovery will be long for Noel, but the journey has already begun, and in the end, the rest is trivia.
So happy to hear of the incredible strides your dad-in-law has made.
I’m paraphrasing an eloquent quotation here (can’t remember the source — will track it down), but it proves just how much you are changing the world. Here’s the general sentiment:
When you take care of your own family, you are helping take care of the entire world. Your caring keeps your family healthy, secure and intact, and this ripples out throughout your community and the whole world.
What a beautiful, thoughtful post, Gavin. Love your musing on “inspiration….”
On a related note, this blog is completely…. GREAT… lately. It seems you have really tapped into your inner voice and are producing some bracingly honest stuff. It’s a breath of fresh air to come here.
I’m at a loss for words. I feel like you’ve given us all a gift right back.
Thank You.
Thanks, Gavin. Those were some beautiful words. I’m glad to hear Noel is continuing to improve, and be sure that we’re all still keeping you guys in our thoughts.
Gavin,
You are a special person and deserve lots of love. Give Noel my best.
Gavin,
I believe that changing the world begins with being brave enough to share your heart.
Seems to me you are already accomplishing your goal.
Drew
Thanks again Gavin for reminding us all what’s truly important.
See you soon.
I’m so glad you’ve had such amazing support and that he seems to be doing so much better.
Gavin,
You’ve reminded me of the movie “It’s A Wonderful Life” again and how the seemingly mechanical, cold, endless chasm of the internet can take on a small town feel when we take the time to invest ourselves in a community.
You are such a generous person that it was a gift to us to have the opporuntity to lend encouragement and support when you needed it most. So glad to hear that Noel is making progress.
Sharon