What in your childhood inspires you?

We have been conditioned to look back into our pasts to explain what's wrong with us. That's useful for making sense of our lives and how our past experiences still negatively impact us today. Looking back at significant events is also useful for bringing to consciousness the story or stories that we tell ourselves about who we are and what's possible in life.

To complete the story, we need to also look back into our pasts to explain what's right with us. We are influenced by significant events in positive ways too. What are the key experiences that shaped our values & morals? What key experiences inspired us then and could keep inspiring us today? These are also part of the story or stories we tell ourselves about who we are and what's possible in life. We need to bring them into consciousness too.

One of my childhood inspirations comes from being in a primary school class learning to sing "I'd like to teach the world to sing" by The New Seekers. The lyrics still inspire hope in me. Actually, I'm inspired by the fact that every verse starts with "I'd like to...". Although every intention is idealistic and not even remotely achievable, the song reminds me that I can still have those intentions.

Being in that class and learning to sing the song was a perfect example of the lyrics in action. While my teacher couldn't teach the world to sing in perfect harmony, she could teach our class to sing (I admit: we might not have been perfect at harmonising).

Growing up, I forgot about the song. I forgot about my ideals & dreams in the daily grind. I forgot, until I started pondering the questions: "what's my purpose?" and "what do I want to do with whatever time I have left?" The song bubbled up in my consciousness to inspire me again: I'd like to save the world from suffering. I know I won't come close to achieving that, but I'd like to... so I'll do what I can.

What in your childhood inspires you?

#inspiration, #childhood, #childhoodinspiration, #towardsyourcentredself, #vanspath