Beware the wild muse

Inspiration

By Charles Towne

As an example of dangerous muses, I was wandering whimsically in the woods, when woe is me, a big, bad, and bodaciously bold muse suddenly and sneakily snuck up surreptitiously and smacked me serendipitously in the back of the head with this somewhat strange idea; “this is the oldest I have ever been!”

And as if that muse wasn’t dangerous and enough to get a fellow thinking, how about this one, If the bad things that happen to us result in good, can they really be bad things? (And you don’t want me to get started on that one because in my 80+ strange years I have a lot of examples where very ugly turned into very beautiful.)

And as I mused on that one I thought of this; so very often we pray for an easy life and it struck me that an easy life isn’t what we should be praying for. What we should be praying for is the strength to endure a difficult one!

And then, with my muse running merrily amok, I remembered something my dear old mama said to me; “Son,” (she frequently called me son.) “Son,” she said, “never forget, the main ingredient when creating a delicious happiness and success souffle is this, avoid idiots at all costs!”

See, didn’t I tell you that muses could be dangerous?

While I was cogitating on that muse another big hairy one with flashing red eyes, green toe claws and a big grin leaped out of the bushes waving its arms and jumping up and down as it shouted in my face, “You ain’t here to serve yourself boyo, you’re here to inspire and influence others to improve their lives and to help them reach their goals!”

And then a whole bunch of wild ferocious muses attacked me out of nowhere shouting things like,

“The longer you delay a difficult task the greater the probability that you will never do it!”

Followed by,

“If you don’t know where you are going any road is apt to get you there!”

And then a black and blue muse tripped me, and as I lay there on the ground it sat on my chest and quoted Will Rogers in my face, “If you want to be successful, it’s just this simple, know what you are doing, love what you are doing, and believe in what you are doing!”

Well, I was eventually able to escape the throng of manic muses, at least temporarily, but as I wandered away one more came out of the blue and smote me mightily in the back of the head with, “Our lives, that’s each of us, you and I, are an offering at the throne of grace. Let our every act, our lives be acceptable to our gracious and wonderful Papa God.”

Yes, whatever you do, beware the muse!

Please, Lord, I would rather die than offend you! Amen

Charles Towne is first and foremost a Christian. An octogenarian, author, journalist, wildlife photographer, naturalist, caregiver, and survivor, his life has been and continues to be, a never-ending adventure filled with possibilities never imagined. He has adopted the philosophy that to Live fully, laugh uproariously, love passionately, and learn like there is no tomorrow, is a formula for a long and joy-filled life.