What is your “Active Ingredient?”

Lately I’ve been thinking about what inspires me. Just the other day I was hiking with my 6-year old daughter and we came across this beautiful clearing filled with blooming pussytoes. Colorful lichen boulders edged their way upwards and the light shone so perfectly on the entire scene, like that light after a fresh rain that leaves everything to glisten in the renewed sunshine. Abigail stopped to take a picture because she thought it was beautiful, too.

And I thought to myself, “now that’s inspiring!” But then again, I am a botany nerd who thrives off seeing displays of native plants doing their thing.

Then, I saw this video.

And my inspiration multiplied exponentially. You know that feeling of being inspired. Your heart rate speeds up with anticipation, the hairs on the back of your neck raise in excitement, and you just can’t wait to get started on that thing that has just given you a renewed sense of “get after it.” But then the moment passes. And maybe we never act on that awesome inspirational feeling, that in that moment, made us feel like we CAN make a change and do something meaningful for others, for your community, for yourself. So, we try to hunt up that inspirational moment again because that feeling is actually quite addicting. You know what I’m talking about.

I get hired to design gardens for others. To me, that’s a big deal! Maybe I take it too seriously, but to tap into my clients’ minds to make their dream outdoor space become reality is important. It’s personal. Without inspiration, I can’t design anything. So I am constantly looking for it. Usually in nature. Out on the trails running through armpit high thickets of cow parsnip, wet from the morning dew, slapping me into my happy place.

Eduardo Garcia is here in Telluride this weekend for the Mountain Film Festival and he is going to cook for whomever comes to the high school playground at 5:30 Saturday. “Charged,” the movie about his life, will play afterwards.  Go get your inspiration.