The Muse

Myth says a writer cannot write without inspiration. Where is the inspiration derived from? Usually, a muse. It could be a song, a scene from a motion picture, an interesting episode from the day or even a fable.

A writer can identify her musings through observation - that goes beyond what meets the eye. Seeing the uncommon makes the write-up worthwhile. 'Tis the unique point of view which makes all the difference.

But what happens when a writer loses the inherent motivation to jot down her thoughts, which came only naturally to her earlier? Is it the lack of inspiration, or a possibility that her observation skills have rusted?

Would such a scenario be considered as the "writer's block"? Not really. A writer's block occurs when you begin a piece and get stuck midway... Not when you cannot even begin your piece at all.

Something similar happened to me. A part of my identity which took pride in claiming itself to be a writer, stopped functioning. It became bad enough that I began looking at alternate career options. I was most certainly rusting my brains.

I tried to get back on track by hunting for muses anywhere in the macrocosmic vicinity. But to no respite.

Perhaps what I had forgotten some where down the line, was the fact that a writer is also emotional much like a poet. You not only need a muse, but a heart to feel the depth of the muse. The revelation happened shortly after I succumbed to failure.

My passion for writing was rekindled by the arrival of my teacher, my caregiver - my mother. Her presence in my life after a long stretch of 8 months, touched that forbidden part in me which once thrived on imagination.

My mother has been the muse for this post. Her presence has made all the difference in my life, which is often taken for granted otherwise.