Inspiration Hits When Least Expected

Inspiration - where does it come from? That's what I am thinking about tonight. Sometimes it hits you at the oddest times - a phrase, a ray of light or even another person can trigger it. Anyway, I was already thinking about this earlier today after someone mentioned that they had been inspired to do something by the grey, rainy weather. Seemed odd to me but, heck, who am I to decide what inspires someone? So, I brought these thoughts home with me as I drove through the foggy downpour and suddenly I felt inspired myself. I became all wrapped up in the idea of photographing our Christmas lights in the rain. Not a truly wise activity if you value your camera equipment but that didn't seem important at that moment. I was intrigued with the thought of encasing my gear in plastic and putting myself in my waterproof shoes and just going for it! So when I arrived home, I dragged everything out into the waning light of the winter afternoon, rain pouring down from the heavens - my camera wearing it's lovely shower cap cover and I took photos of those darn lights from every angle. Hmmm. Nothing I had photographed was turning me on and discouraged, I found myself getting ready to quit. Then out of the blue "IT" happened - I forgot to remove the plastic shower cap from in front of my lens before snapping the shutter one last time. What appeared on the back of my camera was an abstract image that was exactly as I was seeing the image in my mind's eye! I was excited again! So, off I went to re-take all the images I had already done - happily dripping wet and cold but my soul singing - INSPIRATION! It sometimes comes from accidents of life and an open mind....ah, inspiration!