We get so caught up in this adult thing, and we get pretty good at it over the years. We condition ourselves to answer almost any question…questions we thought we could never answer.
I was a very anxious child, hell-bent on perfection and pleasing others. So when the time came for me to learn how to order something on my own without the help of my parents, the cash was a sweaty wad by the time I made it to the cash register.
I rehearsed my answer until I was practically insane to make sure I didn’t embarrass myself in front of the cashier at the pizza joint. You see, I had it in my mind that adults never screwed up—that they had their shit together.
Funny as hell to think about that now.
As you get older you learn to think on your feet, so you can act like you have your shit together even when you don’t. As adults, we have to make choices and answer questions constantly. Whether it’s a purchase we decide to make or an interview question we babble through, we start to think we can handle just about anything that comes our way.
But sometimes you get asked a question that stumps you. One you continue to think about long after it was spoken.
At a restaurant the other night Mr. H asked me, out of nowhere across the dimly lit air we shared, posed above the salt and pepper: What inspires you?
I blinked a couple of times. I’m pretty sure I grunted, unattractively attempting to form an answer, until finally I busied my lips with my pint glass. I folded.
What a question. It was just SO real.
I can handle all of these other crazy questions on a daily basis, but this one was really tough.
I suppose it’s because we don’t ask real questions very often. We don’t want to pry, we don’t want to go there—or we’re afraid to ask it because we don’t know the answer ourselves. Too many questions and answers are automatic in the modern world.
How are you?
I’m fine. And you?
Fine.
Imagine how different conversations would be if we asked meaningful questions. And sometimes a very simple question can have lots of meaning. I love to ask people what their favorite color is. I often use it as a conversation starter if I’m ever in an awkward group situation.
It’s a question that never fails to amuse and loosen up adults, because they probably haven’t answered it since they were a child—back when that innocent dialogue was commonplace. The answers are so fascinating, because the colors we are drawn to really say a lot about us.
Okay, so back to the inspiring question. After a few minutes I bumblef*cked my way through a couple of answers that kind of made sense. Something about living life fully and inspiring and helping others whenever possible.
It wasn’t a terrible answer. I mean, the delivery was terrible but it wasn’t what I really wanted to say.
Then, I landed on it.
What inspires me is reality…people being real and showing their vulnerability. I love to see grownups playing with their pets, exuding affection and acting like complete idiots. I love to see a husband look at his wife from across the room, entranced by her after so many years as if he was seeing her for the first time.
That kind of stuff. Real shit.
Anyway, it’s good to be asked a question like that from time to time. It makes us slow down this merry-go-round we ride on, so we can seek an answer.
So, I’ll ask you now. What inspires you? And for grins…what’s your favorite color?
Britt Skrabanek 
What a lovely post. You always have us thinking. Creativity inspires me: watching people be creative in whatever form that takes inspires me to do the same. Because being creative requires the acceptance of failures, compassion for oneself, determination, laughter, and so much more. My favorite colour is grey, I find it very soothing. What’s yours?
Blame Mr. H for this one! I’m glad though, because I’ve been struggling to find time to write. This was a quick post, since it was based off a recent experience, and it got the wheels turning.
Lovely explanation of what it takes to be creative. Love grey too! Yellow has really been creeping into my favorite category…hence the yellow pumps I bought last month. It’s a great accent color to all of the blues and greys I wear!
This post and the responses from our fellow bloggers are inspiring! I love being part of the blogging world, with access to such a wide variety of stimulation and excellence. And it’s purple for me – all the way 😀💜
A lot of beautiful minds in the blogging community. Helps keep us going! Purple was my favorite for many years. Awesome choice!
Moi? Physical bravery that is beyond my understanding. E.g. RAF bomber squadrons during WW2 who knew the odds of them surviving a tour of duty were 1 in 5 at best. Violette Szabo of the Special Operations Executive, captured, interrogated, tortured and finally shot by the Nazis. Those that give their lives in saving others.
Colour? Green for Ireland, Blue for Birmingham City FC.
Love that, Roy. That shines through in your writing too. And green is always one of my top color choices!
You inspire me. 😀 Seriously, I can find inspiration everywhere. I think my problem is too much inspiration, not enough perspiration in the day to follow through with everything. My favorite color? Well, jewel tones. Amethyst. Emerald. Ruby. Sapphire. 😀
Awww….YOU inspire me! I can find inspiration everywhere too, and it can be a problem! A good one, of course.
I love jewel tones as well. They make my eyes and heart happy!
I’m not sure what inspires me, Britt. I think reading beautiful literature is something that inspires me to write; my children inspire me to be a better person; my dogs inspire me to exercise; and you inspire me to blog 😀
All lovely things, Miss Dianne! You inspire me as well.
What a timely coincidence… I was on the train home today and was just thinking about the people in my life and how my friends were really an inspiring bunch of people that I continually learn from. So to answer your question, I would say “people” but specifically, the people in my life who are unabashedly themselves and comfortable in their own skin. It’s pretty close to your answer of reality and I’d just add that basically, anyone who is genuine and sincere is inspiring to me. Favorite color? Green. Not sure when I figured it out but at some point, I noticed I started gravitating towards green things and have been for the last 10 years or so. 🙂
Love that, hon! Genuine people are the best. The others out there, well…there are all kinds, aren’t there? I’ll leave it at that. 😉
Green has always been up there for me. That’s why I love living in the Northwest…it’s everywhere, so I don’t have to wear it as much.
I love your answer Britt, it is a shame that in daily life we tend not to talk about these ‘real’ questions – whereas in blog land, I do come across them a lot in something someone’s written. What inspires me? Great stories and great writing, nature, weather and the sea and definitely magic. My favourite colour is turquoise – interestingly it was always purple, but that changed a few years ago….
Real questions tend to be swept under the rug, don’t they? So many of our conversations are based around small talk. And unfortunately, that can happen with people that are close to us as well.
Turquoise is a fantastic color…love it!
I’ll answer the easiest question first … I’m inspired by my children! (bet you didn’t think that was the easier question of the two!) 😉
My favorite color … yikes, that’s tough. I believe that every color has a time and a place, so I really love them all. It depends on how I’m using a particular color. I love pastels and bright, sunny colors for throw pillows and accessories. I love dark colors to go out on the town. I wear mainly blues and greens and purples for everyday. And I love earth tones as a base color for my house. Ta-da!
I love all colors too, hon! It can be so tough to choose and it definitely changes for me, depending on my mood. Think you nailed it with saying “every color has a time and a place.”
Since moving to the Northwest, I have completely gone away from red, orange, and pink…which were never my best colors anyway. I kept trying to wear them though, because my personality at the time was more about those wild bright colors. More into blue, grey, green, and the occasional yellow now. White is another fave of mine, because it makes me feel good!
What? A fizzy pint doesn’t inspire you? I’m disappointed, Britt.
A nice hard cider might not inspire me, but I am more than willing to keep drinking it in the hope that it will someday. I am a very patient fellow.
I am inspired by the nuttiness of kids. They can come up with the weirdest stuff that can often lead my mind toward a good idea. Also, blog writing contests push my mind in different directions.
And my favorite color is orange.
I think it’s a given that beer inspires me, Mike. ; )
The stories you share about your family are inspiring to many of us. Love the way you keep it real, while showing what a softy you are. Orange is a good one.
I’m inspired that I’m still lnspired! In fact, even though I’m pushing the other side of ‘middle-aged,’ I laugh more, create more, even love more, than I did 30 years ago. Why? Because love inspires me, for one. My guy still looks at me across the room with joy, after 32 years of living together. Whoa. My kids, who turned out so totally different than I expected when they were 3, and 9, and even 18; it’s so inspiring to see them turn into themselves (and still work on it as they begin to parent). My young grandkids are beyond inspirational, because I get to look at life through their eyes, and they are bedazzled.
Writing, yoga, walking, reading blogs like yours – great inspirations. Thank you.
Beautifully said! Love is a big one for me too. Feel like that is something we can always fall back on when life sweeps us into its mad arms. Kids are good teachers, and they tell it like it is.
Thank you for the sweet blog compliment. Right back at ya, babe! 🙂
Oh Britt I so enjoyed this post. There is nothing better than seeing someone grabbing a moment and goofing off! When I witness life’s little treasures where people are keeping it real it gives me faith in man kind. Kids get it right because they don’t think first they just do! My favourite colour is magenta the brighter the better. We use to do this odd thing where my hubby would stop the car and hug a tree if it was an awesome tree. The kids have probably forgotten about it now they are teens, maybe its time we spun them out a bit more.
Love that your hubby would stop to hug trees! Magenta was my fave color for a while. I still like it on my toes!
Love it. I’d love to be asked those kind of deep questions all the time – hehe.
Stories and art inspires me. Books, movies, songs, art, people, life – all full of stories and art.
So pretty much everything inspires me. Sport, definitely inspires me. Teaches me so much about life.
Haha! Sounds like you are inspired by as many things as I am, Juni. Here’s to a beautiful life where we are continually inspired!
Definitely, so much inspiration everywhere – hehe.