Unexpected Inspiration

OK, this is embarrassing. I miss Amy Poehler. For the last week, I’ve been listening to her book, Yes, Please via audio book while I’ve been running/walking each morning. It’s been utterly unfair to be listening rather than just reading. I’ve been duped into thinking that she’s been my running partner who just talks a lot more than me. She is irreverent, vulnerable, and alternately serious and wickedly funny. If you are now imagining me jogging around my neighborhood laughing out loud (and even crying once) with nothing but my earphones for company, then you are picturing this friendship accurately. Amy’s great. She’s warm and believeable, companionable and entertaining. But there was something more about “getting to know” Amy that tapped into things I want to be about.

Amy talks about how important her friends are all the time. At every rough patch, in every job and through all the muck of life, Amy made reference to the people around her who were holding her up. I’ve tried to make friendships a greater priority in the last months and I’m starting to see exciting changes. I want to keep pressing on!

Amy went for it. She discovered that she loved making people laugh and she shaped and bent her life around this passion when there was no money or glory in it at all. It was all about creativity and risk and living on the edge and doing it all with people you love and respect. I want to stay hungry like that for the stuff I want to be about!

Amy cries a lot. In so many of her stories, Amy will say something like. And then ____________ happened, and I cried. Right there in front of ____________. I love that she has so many experiences of just letting it go and letting people see that vulnerable part of her. I want to keep being willing to show that part of myself too.

 Amy is courageous. Her chapter on apologizing showed me an example of taking responsibility and owning her actions that moved me to review my own responses to people who bring up their hurts with me.

Amy is willing to be the one. Amy orchestrated a lot of gags for events like the Golden Globes and she was always willing to be the one taking the greatest risk on a prank! By doing this she bravely led the way and helped others shine. She was gutsy and generous.

I didn’t expect to be inspired when I started to listen to this book. I expected to laugh. I have laughed at Amy Poehler for years—Parks and Rec is pure genius! But I want to grab every opportunity to stretch into the person God created me to be, and surprisingly, Amy Poehler is helping me do that. And hey, maybe she’ll read this blog, we’ll have lunch, and we’ll get to pick up on our friendship and make it a bit less lop-sided. You never know!

Where have you been inspired in an unexpected place?