We met at the Scale House yesterday morning to talk about family. I sat in the chair where Orville used to sit drinking coffee with a plaque on the wall honoring his dedication to York County Agriculture. I took notes with a view of the home place out the window and the feed lot to the north. I'm writing a song for their family and wanted to meet to hear some stories from Mike and Jan. At the end of it, Mike and I got in the feed truck and he let me ride along while we filled the thing with 13,000 pounds of a cattle "muesli."

I learned things about cattle, about Orville and Ruth and the home they built for their kids. And then I learned about their kids honoring their folks with their own families and lives. If you want to be inspired, start talking to people about where they came from and the legacy they love. If you want to be inspired, clear your schedule, pour yourself a cup of coffee and just have a conversation for the sheer pleasure of hearing someone's story and being reminded of how beautiful the little things in life are. Feed truck optional.

Then it was the lunch crowd at Chez Bubba Cafe, just like most days. Only the crowd didn't make it for lunch. I swept the floor, rolled the silverware, refilled BBQ sauces and waited a few tables before heading over to Lincoln to meet up with my buddy, Mike Semrad, and shoot a music video.

We met up and set up and recorded a cover song, "Pale Fire" by Amanda Shires. Hopefully it gets a placement on TheBoot.com sooner than later. Stay tuned for more. We spent the afternoon talking shop and rehearsing before cutting the tune. It was so fun. Lately I've been collaborating with instrumental artists and am loving these new musical conversations. We don't really know each other very well, but we start playing songs and speaking the same language and it is magical. You wanna be inspired? Call up a friend, get out your instruments and start playing. Sing together on the chorus and remember how great it is to send some harmony up into the heavens on a weekday afternoon. Forget about all that stuff you've gotta do and make time for something that will fill you up and remind you what you're here for.

You wanna be inspired? Don't wait for magic to find you while you're busy doing something else. Instead, make yourself available in a space where magic just bubbles up into your living room. It happens when we set aside the clutter (the phone) and create an opportunity for listening and responding, and for curiosity. Magic loves curiosity.

This week has been filled with it. You know what Star Belle did the night before? We taught a ukulele class at a Brewery. You know what that was? It was 20 people coming together, stopping all the other stuff in their lives and giving themselves the gift of music, of curiosity, of togetherness and good beer. We all walked away happy and a little lighter than before.

You wanna be inspired?

Think about it.