I've spent a good hour or so just staring at my screen and I still don't know how to start this article. The topic this time around in the round six of the Information Finding Championship Season 2 is something that I don't think anyone can explain well because there's always this part of you that thinks you left something out.

When I first came to know the topic is inspiration, my first reaction was an excited one instantly followed by a feeling that I like to call "beautiful discomfort", where you know what you are about to do is something that makes you feel uncomfortable, but it is so because you'll be opening your heart out for people to see.

What inspiration means to me is honestly a really difficult question to answer because frankly, I have no solid answer. I just go where life takes me and somehow it has always worked out. Like the time when I first shared something personal about my life on Steemit right after I almost thought of quitting because I wasn't seeing any progress in myself. But to my surprise, that post became one of my highest earning posts till date.

Feels good, doesn't it?

Another time recently when I shared about the problems that I deal with in my relationship with my parents for which I thought I would get a lot of hate and criticism, but to my surprise, the post got upvoted by Hive account@curie and was so well-received by the community and I got so many supportive comments with people sharing how they have been through the same, which made me realize the value of being open, even if you are afraid.

I don't know for sure, but it seems like every time I'm on the verge to give up, life just hits me with moments like these which drive me into pushing myself on and on and to keep persevering. All these events make me want to believe that there is always hope lying somewhere, no matter the situation. All you have to do, is make that last push, that last try after which hope pulls you out of your misery and inspires you to do what you thought was impossible.

I know all of this might sound like fancy talk to some people, but for me, it is very real because it has happened with me often enough to start seeing a pattern. I can't even describe how good it feels when you actually see yourself growing in a place where you never thought you could become better. It feels like magic, really.

Finding Beauty

Not just events though, I've actually been secretly discovering all these new places that I go out to find right after all the lectures in college. I haven't told anyone about it in my family but I guess I'm busted now as I'm writing about it in this post.

Sorry, mom. I wasn't actually attending any extra lectures. Your son is just a little adventurous.

But in my defense, I just can't help it. There's something about these places that just... gets to me. Maybe it's the silence, or maybe it's the beauty of just living in the moment, away from the repetitive nature of our everyday lives. I go to these places, often all alone, hoping to find inspiration and solace, and these places never disappoint me either. They welcome me with open arms, and ask me to soak in every moment they give me in my heart.

Though I'm not a professional photographer, I shoot the hell out of pretty much everything when I'm out there so to make new memories and experiences. One of which, I want to share with you guys and the little story behind that particular day.

So there's this little riverbank on my way back home from college that I often visit either when I've had a bad day and need a nice view or when I'm feeling adventurous.

A different angle, maybe?

Getting interesting, isn't it?

Long story short, I climbed on the first pillar of the bridge (a real challenge for my biceps lol) and just sat there for like a good half an hour while listening to my favourite Indie songs on my earphones.

Was it dangerous? Yup. Illegal? Maybe. Inspiring? Do you really need to ask? Being there felt 'right' for some reason. It felt like I was meant to do this. I remember looking down at the water and wondering what would happen if I fall. Fortunately, it was only a thought.

Oh, hi! I didn't see you there.

Whenever I visit these places, there's a part of me that never wants to leave and I think all you travelers out there can relate with me on this one. For some reason, even the strangest of places start to feel like home, and all you wanna do is stretch your legs and just enjoy being in the moment without worrying about the complexities of life.

Even if the adrenaline doesn't last that long, the memory stays with you till the end, and that's why I love exploring so much. You never know what's coming and that's what makes it so much more fun than planned vacations and holidays.

It feels good just writing about all this, haha!

Gifted Strangers

Apart from my family and friends, I think some of the greatest lessons I have ever learned in my life, had come from strangers. Strangers who taught me what really matters, and how to make your voice heard in the crowd and embrace your uniqueness.

Strangers who taught me the value of compassion and hope, and the morals that I now live by, and the ones who believed in me even though other people shamed me for being who I am. It's almost poetic when people like these come into your life, change it, and vanish just as fast as they came in. If you're lucky enough, sometimes they even stay.

I'm sure you guys have had experiences like these. It may be someone you talked to on the Internet, someone you met at work, the cute barista in the coffee shop, or someone you met in college.

We as people, need each other to make our lives better by lending a helping hand, and that's exactly what those strangers in my life did. They picked me up in my darkest times and went out of their way just to comfort me and remind me that I'm not alone.

For which, I'll forever be grateful.

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Continue reading:

What Inspiration Means To Me - People, Places, And Poetry [ IFC S2R6 ]

Finding Beauty

Gifted Strangers

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