A Cat Looks at Inspiration

“It you hear a voice within you say you cannot paint, then by all means paint and that voice will be silenced.” – Vincent Van Gogh

Have you ever felt like a cat who looks like she’s sleeping on the sunny windowsill, but she’s really listening to every sound, every movement? Well, that’s been me for the past six weeks. I feel a need to hang out a bit, store up energy, sleep, and maybe hibernate a little. Some days I can’t get enough of it, sleep that is. Seeing the sun first thing in the morning—who needs it, except to curl up in?  And some nights I am ready to go to bed at 9:00, but push myself to stay awake until 10:00. Maybe these urges are less about hibernation and more about self-preservation. The state of somnolence can teach us a lot: we learn from our dreams, especially the recurring ones. I’m paying close attention to what my dreams are telling me—because I need some inspiration.