Guilty confession: Erin and I are fond of movie soundtracks.
Especially the one from Dances with Wolves which played an important role in Finn's first year.
There was the rousing number from the stampeding buffalo hunt scene (track # 10) where Finn would make galloping horse sounds and bounce up and down while pretending to hold the reins. (He may have been mimicking me.)
One or two tracks later (the important part) he would be sound asleep.
We hadn't listened to the soundtrack in a while. Then about two weeks ago it came up on the ipod in the car.
After a look of vague recollection he was soon galloping like a horse again.
Minutes later he was out like a light, though it was nowhere near his nap time.
The other night after dinner Erin said, "I'm envisioning a night curled up on the couch with a good movie and Finn falling asleep on my lap."
This, by the way, never works.
He ends up wanting to watch the movie, we abandon the idea, and it becomes even more difficult to get him to sleep.
Erin is the eternal optimist.
We flipped on the TV and there was Dances with Wolves right on the stampeding buffalo scene. Finn had his galloping fun, then a scene later was fast asleep.
That movie is always inspiring to me, not for it's epic nature, but the incredible story of Michael Blake, the author of the novel and the screenplay.
While living out of his car, sleeping on friends' couches and being fired from his job as a dishwasher, he wrote the novel that would become this iconic film.
I couldn't help thinking of his story throughout the entire movie, imagining the satisfaction he must have felt seeing his story become a piece of film history.
At the end, while the credits rolled and we wiped our tears, Erin casually mentioned that Kevin Costner just happened to be in her two favorite films.
Hmm. What a coincidence.
Looking over at Finn, still sacked out, I was reminded how personalized inspiration can be.
What I find inspiring in one way, moves someone else in another. And may put others to sleep.
Literally.
I suppose the important thing is just to be inspired, whatever that means for you. Inspiration finds you or you seek it out. But it's always there.
I hope this has inspired you.
If not, pleasant dreams. :-)