Nourish Your Soul:

Embrace Inspiration and Optimize Your Choices by Diane Maietta

Years ago, I stumbled upon a remarkable excerpt from Susan Sontag's 1983 commencement speech at Wellesley College in Massachusetts. As a young, passionate woman deeply interested in the human condition and the growth of our inner selves, her words resonated with me profoundly.

Ms. Sontag's timeless advice to the graduating class urged them to remain lifelong students, never allowing their minds to stagnate and forfeit the vibrant passion that fuels change in the world.

She lovingly encouraged her audience, particularly women, to defy gender stereotypes and persist in pursuing their positive ambitions.

In eloquent verse, she urged the graduates to cling to the wellspring of inspiration found within books, music, and art. Yet, her message transcended gender boundaries; her words held significance for all individuals, calling upon each of us to cherish these values within ourselves and our communities.

Drawing from the immortal poem by John Donne, she reminded us that no one exists in isolation—we are all interconnected, fragments of a greater whole. Therefore, let us believe not only in ourselves but in the collective essence of humanity.

This mindset is a spiritual motivation, a conscious choice. Whether or not we are aware of it, we are constantly making choices—every moment of every day.

Once we acknowledge this power, it becomes our responsibility to choose not to succumb to defeat, discouragement, or the mundane routines that can drain the vitality from our souls.

Instead, choose to consume information that nurtures the creativity of thought—the mind, a wild and imaginative creature, can become our servant when tamed and stilled through practices like meditation.

The thoughts we allow into our minds shape the quality of our daily activities and the outcomes we experience. Therefore, consciously select thoughts that enrich and nourish your soul.

Select music and lyrics that ignite a fire within you. As Henry David Thoreau beautifully wrote in 1854 in his masterpiece "Walden," perhaps if one finds themselves out of step with the crowd, it is because they hear a different rhythm – a different drummer.

Embrace that unique beat and let music serve as medicine for your soul. Dance to the melodies that resonate with your innermost being, and choose to feed your soul wisely.

Open your eyes to artistic expressions that mirror the untamed beauty of your personal truth—the truth you live with, live by and build your life upon. Immerse yourself in masterpieces that evoke wonder and awe.

Through these encounters, learn to inspire yourself and make choices that align with your deepest essence. Embrace the opportunity to feed your soul with artful wisdom.

Always nourish your soul with positivity. Never lose the desire to be a perpetual student of life, and never allow the richness of your thoughts to wither away in a mental wasteland.

Repeat this to yourself, or poet it where you may read it to yourself, always: “ I choose to honor the truth of my soul, and I choose to feed it wisely. Though the path may not always be easy, it is undeniably rewarding.”

In the spirit of peace, love, and unity, Diane Maietta, The Warrior-Mystic