“The truth is that our finest moments are most likely to occur when we are feeling deeply uncomfortable, unhappy, or unfulfilled. For it is only in such moments, propelled by our discomfort, that we are likely to step out of our ruts and start searching for different ways or truer answers.” —Rosie Hardy

Sunday night, when I was sitting on the couch, in a sour mood and trying to find any excuse not to cook dinner, I happened to turn on Julie & Julia.

Not only is the movie about a blogger – Julie – trying to find herself, it is also about a magnificent woman – Julia Child – who found her love and her talent for food and cooking well into her 30s and then changed the world with that passion.

Though I’ve seen the movie a few times before, I found myself focusing on a different aspect than the food this time.  Meryl Streep so wonderfully portrays those parts of Julia Child’s life that were hard, and the struggles she went through on her way to find exactly what she was meant to do in this world.  And there were still those moments even though she was an inspiringly strong and positive woman.  There was the emotion when the first publisher turns down their book.  The pain when she finds out her friend is pregnant.  The hurt when they have to leave Paris.

But then there was the way she picked herself up from all of it and never stopped smiling.  Ok.  She could teach cooking instead of writing about it.  She’s incredibly happy for her friend and their new family.  And even though she’s not in Paris, heck, at least she’s still in France.

The message not only inspired me to get off the couch and make dinner, but it gave me a little reminder that we are never finished learning and growing.  It reminded me that the people who change the world have a lot of let downs before they break through.  And it isn’t easy for any of them.  Even the really strong and the really positive ones need someone to lean on from time to time.

It is so easy to look at other people’s lives and houses and careers and families and vacations and savings accounts and think “life would have been so much easier down that path. Why didn’t I take that path?”

I find myself thinking that a lot when I’m feeling homesick or lost or poor.  Facebook makes this all too easy.  Pictures of cruises, European vacations, promotions and new houses… But then I remember that Brad and I lead a most amazing life, and that life is the inspiration for The Key of Kels.  It is rarely easy and it is rarely comfortable, but we are working toward doing the things we dream of and we are happy to be doing it.  As Rosie Hardy said above, Brad and I are searching for different ways and for truer answers.  We have set out to change the world.  And we always knew that wasn’t going to be the well-paved path.

So this weekend called for a little inspiration.  Posts like Propelled by Discomfort & Fear and eight ways to find creative inspiration inspired me to get off the couch.  I listened to Mariah Carey’s “Music Box” today, which was my first ever CD, to remind myself why I love singing.  And I cooked Brad a few of the recipes I learned while studying in Florence, Italy to show him that I still have game in the kitchen.

And if Veal Saltimbocca and old school Mariah Carey don’t make you feel inspired to get out there and change the world, I just don’t know what will.

xoxo