Oliver asked:

This question is, I suppose, slightly superficial but I would still like your opinion on it. Do you believe
that inspiration comes to you, or that you earn it through searching? Is it the privilege of those who
have patience, or of those who search (i.e. Tibet and suchlike)?

Awaiting the blessing of what I hope to be wisdom.

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I believe in serendipity. I also believe that the gods smile on those who make some effort themselves.
Knowing this, there are things we can do to increase the chance that a bit of inspiration will come our
way.

Inspiration is not something which you can work for, or work towards. Our labours produce works, not
inspiration. But simply waiting and hoping does not work either.

My father used to say, “You've got to make waves.” Some times our efforts seem mere ineffectual
splashing about. It is still better to splash about than remain motionless in the water.

I suppose what my father meant was that we can never gauge the remote effects of our actions on
other people. But it is equally true that we can never gauge the remote effects of our actions on our
own selves, on our state of mind. What we call 'inspiration' is often merely the remote effect of our
own actions, actions which we never intended to have the effect that they did.

I am all for taking trips to Tibet, if you can afford the air fare. If you can't, a break from routine,
throwing yourself into a different activity, may be all you need to set those waves in motion.

Geoffrey Klempner