Who inspires you?

 

Sometimes the people you meet in an off chance situation can be the most inspiring, you don't need to talk to them for long or sometimes even know their name but something in what they say, or something about them sparks something in you.

On the 24th December in the queue at Waitrose to pay for the last bits and bobs we needed for Christmas, namely cheese and some of that nice Belvoir elderflower presse, we got chatting to the women in front of us.

I dont know who she was. I'm going to make a guess that she was about 60 years old, she was buying the last bits and bobs she needed to. I'm not sure how it came up, probably because we were all in a supermarket buying food but whilst talking, we found out that her whole family has been vegetarian her whole life but her daughter in law isn't. She will only eat red meat and ham so when she comes home for Christmas they have to provide meat. They live in a completely meat free house and even have a separate fridge for the cat food.  She can't believe what they feed their kids. This lady makes her own bread and is very aware of the chemicals that get sprayed on the produce She was told by a farmer that more then 9 times a year the produce gets sprayed by some form of chemicals. Not very delicious! She said if she could she would buy a field and grow all her own vegetables in it.

There was something about this lady, the way she spoke. She wasn't preaching, she wasn't throwing her opinions on us, she was just talking, she just seemed so so lovely.

After speaking to her, I just felt like I could have listened to her all day. She had a special something about her that not everyone has and it made me start thinking and being more conscious about what I eat and I am putting in to my body. If the chemicals were a bright pink colour so we could see them on what we eat... we would all most definitely be more aware of what we were eating but also would we then have a different opinion on it to. I know a lot of people who would say "who cares... we're fine aren't we?" but what if we're not and we just don't know it yet?

There has been few people in my life who have left an impact on me this way (gosh I sound like I'm talking about twilight now) In fact I can name them all.

First off

- Nikki The Stylist.  I worked with Niki about 3 years ago for about 5/6 weeks. She was amazing. Stunningly beautiful she looked like ... I can't remember the model but I will find a picture of who I mean and show you. She had had some trouble with an ex husband, she was vegetarian, she washes with soap stones, she was protective over the jungle, she did yoga and she was reading a book called Americas diet. I don't know why but I really got on with Nikki, she was a few years old then me and from a couple of minutes of chatting I really admired her. She just seemed like she had managed to get it all together and I really admired that.

- The old man at Peel Tower. He had climbed all the way up to peel tower which is quite a way even for two nimble twenty somethings. It was a warm August day. We saw him at the top and he was elated, he rang his wife to tell her he had made it all the way to the top, he later told us said he used to walk up there every day for exercise. Everyone had told him he wouldn't make it to the top at his age but he did. He walked around the tower. Picked a cotton bud for his wife and started the long walk home. Is that not just the cutest thing.

The picture below are the cotton buds I picked after he left to take home to Tom, I don't know why but I thought as the cute old man did it, I would to.

- The Poet. I was at an ex boyfriends family party down in Devon. They had the most incredible house over looking the small port in-between the valley. I was speaking o a couple of his parents friends, one of them a poet. He recited one of his poems and the way he read it was simply incredible. I was transfixed on the words. It was called "sweep the leaves " and it was about a man who he had watched in the park sweeping leaves as all the busy people rushed by him

- Jo the make up artist. I worked with Jo at Jack Wills and then on a couple of freelance shoots over the year. She is great, so healthy and in tune with her body. Only eating the most nutritious things and it showed, every time I saw her she was glowing. She has a hobby of rock climbing which I just think is super cool. She had shown me some pictures of her climbing and the skill and strength it must have taken is incredible I wish I had a more of an impressive hobby.  The last time I saw her she was training to be a yoga teacher. Jo always seemed to have it sorted. She was kind, funny and hard working- no matter what the job, what kind of day it was. Something which I think is so valuable.

- The girl on the train. Nope not the book. I actually met someone on the train, I don't know her name but she got off in Peterborough, which was a bit strange as that would have been my stop but I was actually heading somewhere else. She had been in Manchester for a few days with her young daughter who must have been about 9 months to a year old. We started talking just as we were leaving Manchester. We were cramped up separated by her pram on the way. Her daughter was lovely and attracting a lot of attention through her cuteness, smiles and waving. There wasn't really anything said which was dramatically exciting but we got on well for two people who had just met and it made the 3 hour journey fly by. I really liked her and it was lovely to just have a conversation with someone I didn't know and find out more about them.

I think there are too many people in this world who don't engage in conversation, who find it weird when people talk to them and may ignore them or mock them. There are a lot of interesting people from all walks of life, when you start a conversation with someone you never know what you might learn from them, or learn about yourself. Next time you in a situation where someone looks like they might have some time to talk why not just say hello and see where it goes?

Who have you met who you have found inspiring? I mean I've always wanted to meet Beyonce but for now I guess these guys will do.