The Beginning At Last

What Drives Thee

—

by

Kevin
in , ,
No Theme Thursday: 2/13/25

I was here before the beginning

And I will be here far beyond the end

For countless millennia, I have watched

I have studied, and I have pondered

Endlessly, I wonder…

What drives thee?

In the grand scheme of the cosmos

You are but a speck of dust

What an insect is to you

So are you to me

And yet, unlike an insect

You learn

You love

You create

Why?

Why do you write your poems?

Why do you paint your pictures?

Why do you strive to excel?

Why do you try to love…

When so often it brings pain?

Why do you grieve…

When one of your kind dies?

Is this not the order of things?

Why do you pine for freedom?

Is it not your fate to be born, to exist and then perish?

For countless millennia I have watched

And after countless millennia, still I ask…

What drives thee?

The origin of this piece stems from a recent question I was asking myself about why I bothered to write/blog/create.

I was feeling a sense of frustration and pointlessness to it all at the time and I asked myself “Why? Why do I do this?”

What drives me?

Truthfully, I don’t know that I am any closer to the answer now then I was when I first asked myself this question. I suspect it is a combination of reasons, some of which I probably don’t even realize exist.

But, perhaps some of you have a clearer picture of why.

So, I ask you, my fellow creators…

What drives thee?

Comments

74 responses to “What Drives Thee”

  1. Caleb Cheruiyot Avatar
    Caleb Cheruiyot

    Beautiful ♥️

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you 🙏

      Like

      Reply
  2. Violet Lentz Avatar
    Violet Lentz

    I think what drives me is a desire to make good use of the voices in my head

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Hey, I can’t argue with that logic at all! 😄

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  3. mahalakshmiarun777 Avatar
    mahalakshmiarun777

    Hi Kevin, what drives me? Now I ask this question within myself. Immediately answer that came to me was “My Soul”. Soul doesn’t have a mind of its own. Neither eyes nor ears, then how could it drive me? I ask myself again these questions. Now I am clueless. I still think it’s my soul that drives but don’t know how or why.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Well, perhaps that is why I, and probably many others, struggle with an answer. It’s not always a concrete, tangible thing.

      Perhaps “soul” is the spark within us that makes us who we are, and who we are is creators, and there’s no more to it than that? Although I do suspect that in itself is too simple an explanation, as we humans are extremely complex at times.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  4. annemariedemyen Avatar
    annemariedemyen

    Great question! What drives me? An overwhelming desire to evolve in the time I have here. That I think is our purpose for being here – for ourselves and ultimately for all humanity.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      That’s a great answer, and the end goal of driving to evolve as a benefit tp all humanity is a very admirable one, indeed. Thank you! 😊😊

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  5. Liz Avatar
    Liz

    I lovedthe poem, Kevin.

    As for why I blog. I first started blogging to share some stuff with friends. Not the full of it. But a gist of it, to then chat via email further if wanted. But then it became a place to share more and people who read that I didn’t know felt they were not alone when I started baring my soul. Or sharing stuff they could relate to and I carried on.

    In the process, I started to not feel alone. I met other bloggers. And I have carried on blogging since.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you, Liz. I think all those reasons are fantastic ones, for sure. To start something on a “smaller” scale, and see it open up a world of others who can also relate is a really incredible thing. Thank you! 🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  6. Ephemeral Encounters Avatar
    Ephemeral Encounters

    Great question Kevin my friend.
    The answer I suppose is different for each one of us.
    I believe our soul holds the answer if we listen

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you, Maggie. You may be quite right that the answer lies within our souls, but it can be an elusive one to pin down. I don’t know that it is as simple as “it just is”, but maybe it is? Maybe it’s enough to say it’s just who we are?

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Ephemeral Encounters Avatar
        Ephemeral Encounters

        My pleasure Kevin.
        Yes, I agree there too my friend.
        Now you got me thinking again 🙄 lol.
        Have a good one my friend.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        Hah! I am going to drag everyone down the rabbit hole with me! 😄😄
        You have a good one too, Maggie! Thank you!

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Ephemeral Encounters Avatar
        Ephemeral Encounters

        Lmaooo 😁
        Thank you Kevin 🤗
        My pleasure!

        Liked by 1 person

  7. Fedora Pancakes Avatar
    Fedora Pancakes

    Very nice poem. What drives me, at least currently is to inspire and motivate people. How, I don’t know 😂 or maybe I do? I just know that I absolutely love it when people read something of mine and they think about stuff and learn and then they improve their life because of it.

    I’ve seen so many blogs doing the same thing since I’ve started and it’s so much fun to not be alone at wanting to do this.

    Sure, it will be hard to write motivational speeches every time I write, so I can’t keep it up forever, but I damn sure will try!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Great answer, my friend, and thank you. It is fantastic that you want to inspire and motivate others! I had illusions of doing that once upon a time, but my path was apparently a different one, so I have just followed wherever it leads me.

      It doesn’t have to be a motivational speech every single time, either. Sometimes people are motivated and inspired by the simplest of things. Sometimes seeing someone share a vulnerability is just as inspiring, because then we know we are not alone in our struggles.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Fedora Pancakes Avatar
        Fedora Pancakes

        Oh, so true. I think it will be exhausting to write a perfect piece every single time but that won’t stop me from trying 😝

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        No, nothing wrong with trying at all! 👍👍

        Liked by 1 person

  8. Mary K. Doyle Avatar
    Mary K. Doyle

    You have so many good questions, Kevin. Maybe we poets are like graffiti artists with words. We want to be heard. I love your poetry, my friend.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      I love the comparison to graffiti artists. Somehow it just seems so appropriate! 😊

      And yes, even though we sometimes say or think we don’t, quite often we do want to know that someone is hearing us.

      Thank you very much, Mary. Your kind words are so deeply appreciated.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  9. P. J. Gudka Avatar
    P. J. Gudka

    You know, I think it’s one of those things that’s inexplainable. It’s just something inside us.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      It’s funny that a lot of the replies come back to that point. Perhaps it is that simple, but at the same time, I have trouble accepting that all the time. 😄

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. P. J. Gudka Avatar
        P. J. Gudka

        I try to accept that too but it’s definitely difficult. Sometimes I just want to freak out in peace 😅

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        I know. Sometimes too much thought ruins the vibe 🤣

        Liked by 1 person

      3. P. J. Gudka Avatar
        P. J. Gudka

        Exactly 😅

        Liked by 1 person

  10. joannerambling Avatar
    joannerambling

    This was so lovely, as to what drives me, well, I have no bloody idea

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      And that’s okay, because a lot of us probably don’t either. I know I don’t! lol

      Like

      Reply
  11. Susan Taylor Avatar
    Susan Taylor

    The joy of creation, maybe? Connecting with others who read and get something from my writing? Because to me writing is living.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      That’s a very valid point, Susan. It can and should bring us happiness. And ideally, if it can bring it to others as well, then that is probably the best win of them all. Thank you 🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  12. Not all who wander are lost Avatar
    Not all who wander are lost

    Oh, there’s a whole poem response to this one lol the inner drive, the inner muse, the restless spirit that must be free 🙂 I could go on, but I won’t lol

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      You could if you so chose to 😄

      But what or where does that inner mus originate from? Are we born with it? Is it a learned behavior? A bit of both? More questions upon my question. lol

      Like

      Reply
  13. Christine Avatar
    Christine

    What drives me

    Liked by 3 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Outstanding answer, indeed. 👏👏👏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
    2. Not all who wander are lost Avatar
      Not all who wander are lost

      Excellent

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
  14. thomasstigwikman Avatar
    thomasstigwikman

    A beautiful poem and what a riddle we are for the God like creature. It reminds me of an old Swedish poem about a gnome, who lives forever, or very long, wondering about people and how and why they come and go, a riddle too hard to figure out.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much, Thomas. And perhaps you are right, and it is a riddle we are not meant to understand or solve. Perhaps just accepting it as what it is should be enough.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  15. Sharon Avatar
    Sharon

    Lovely poem Kevin and to answer your question – simple: when I create, be it on paper, in the garden, with yarn, whatever, it feeds my soul.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you, Sharon. Very glad you liked it. 😊

      Then I would pose the question, how do we know our souls need to be fed, and how do we know that this is what it needs? Is it really as simple as just knowing/accepting that it’s part of us? Or is it a conditioned/learned behavior?

      These are the things I always ponder. What is the origin of it all.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Sharon Avatar
        Sharon

        I just go by feelings Kevin! 😊

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        I can’t argue that approach! 😊😊

        Liked by 1 person

  16. Ana Daksina Avatar
    Ana Daksina

    Why do birds sing? Why does the sun shine? Why do flowers go to all the trouble to break the soil and grow up and up? And aren’t we lucky that they do?

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      We are lucky, indeed. And perhaps, at the end of it all, it truly is just as simple as “this is what we do.”

      The mysterious spark that we may never truly understand.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Ana Daksina Avatar
        Ana Daksina

        I think you’ve pegged it exactly.

        Liked by 1 person

  17. Nancy ~ The Sicilian Storyteller Avatar
    Nancy ~ The Sicilian Storyteller

    This is wonderful, Kevin! Excellent write!
    What moves me? Many things, depending on the moment. Choosing just one, it would be music. It takes me places I only dream about. It fills my heart, my soul, my world. I can’t imagine my life without music. ♡🎶☆

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much, Nancy. I am very glad you like it. 😊

      And I could pose the question and ask where do you think this love of music comes from? Is it just something within that defies explanation? A learned behavior? Or a bit of both?

      As you can see, some topics tend to send me into deep thought lol

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Nancy ~ The Writer Formerly Known As The Sicilian Storyteller Avatar
        Nancy ~ The Writer Formerly Known As The Sicilian Storyteller

        Definitely a bit of both. I was born into a musical family. My parents could both sing well and were members of choirs and singing groups all their active lives. My sister and I are singers (I’ve done professional singing) and both play the piano. My dad played the mandolin and I also play the organ – the big pipe organ you see in church. My sister and I belonged to choral groups, choirs and performed in our school plays. I was a member of a R&R band during high school. My dad was a great lover of opera so that was played in our house a lot along with the music my mother, sister and I liked. Music was constantly playing in our house; it was simply a way of life which stayed with me as I matured. One of our sons is an opera singer and also plays the bass trombone and all our grandchildren play multiple instruments. I also think being Italian helps lol!

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        I do recall you mentioning the pipe organ before, yes. That’s a very cool musical pedigree you have going there!
        Nice to see that it has continued through the generations as well!
        My mother and uncle both played guitar, but other than that, my family was not overly musical, so I don’t know where exactly my love of it came from 🤷‍♂️😄

        Liked by 1 person

      3. Nancy ~ The Writer Formerly Known As The Sicilian Storyteller Avatar
        Nancy ~ The Writer Formerly Known As The Sicilian Storyteller

        All the more reason to cherish it! 🎶

        I have a 6 word story coming up very soon using one of your graphics; it was spot on! Thanks for all of them, Kevin! 🥰

        Liked by 1 person

      4. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        My pleasure, Nancy! Glad you get enjoyment from them! 😊😊

        Liked by 1 person

  18. tenzenmen Avatar
    tenzenmen

    Some questions don’t need to be asked, let alone answered…..

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      My friend, I cannot help it. It is in my nature. lol

      That said, perhaps it is a mystery none of us could ever fully understand.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  19. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    This was so good, Kevin ❤️ somehow I missed this between the poem, and the Valentine’s Day post 🤣 😆 must’ve been that pesky hibernation.

    Why do we do any of it?? Why do you and I create things together even? Why do we take photos of the sky or the moon? Why do we purge what’s in our soul out? For what purpose? Is there even really a good answer.

    You’ve clearly touched a nerve and it makes sense ❤️ expression of the creative is just “in” some people, whether it seems pointless or not. Maybe higher self calling to let that out. I suppose we’ll never truly know.

    Thanks for this thoughtful post 😘 😍

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Laura Avatar
      Laura

      Of course as always there are grammatical errors there 🙄🤪

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        😄😄😘😘

        Like

    2. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you so much, m’lady. And yes, I know I went down a rabbit hole here. 😄

      But again, I wonder, what determines if it is “in” us? Is it just something we are born with, a condition of our surroundings, learned behaviors, or all of the above?

      Is it truly enough to just say “it’s what we are” and be satisfied with that? I ponder this often, and a fair amount of that is likely due to the lack of value I see in my own work. Perhaps if I saw more of that, I would not question so deeply. But, amidst the frustrations, the question always comes back to “why do I bother?” and that, in a way, troubles me, and makes me want to find the answer.

      Why do we create things together? It is a fair question, but I think the simplest answer is because we see it as an extension of us, and something we can enjoy together, and hopefully, bring joy to others as well. 💗💗💗

      I could probably argue with myself in circles all day about this topic of creation until the end of time. 😄

      But self-arguments aside, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to create with you, and to share said creations with others. It is a blessing I do not take for granted, even if the origins of the art of creation is one I do not fully understand. 😘😘

      Thank you 💗😊💗

      Like

      Reply
  20. Ernie 'Dawg' Avatar
    Ernie ‘Dawg’

    Kevin, You should have this published as it is a fantastic piece of poetry. The question is a mind boggling one to say the least. I have tried soul searching and find the answers that lie deep within my mind usually provide more questions.

    This is my second attempt to anser as the first one said there was an error. The only sure fire answer I can provide you today on what drives most people is…Uber. Peace and happiness to you on this Saturday brother.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Laura Avatar
      Laura

      🤣 😆!!!

      Liked by 2 people

      Reply
    2. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Ernie, thank you, my brother. I don’t know that it is that good, but I truly appreciate the compliment. 🙏

      I know…I went down a rabbit hole here, and asked the damn near impossible question. And while I have insights, I still feel like I have to dig deeper. lol

      Perhaps I have to just say “whatever” and accept that I just don’t know 🤷‍♂️😄

      I think most will laugh at your “Uber” reply until it’s time to pay the fare! Last I heard, it ain’t cheap anymore 🤣🤣

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  21. Stephanie Avatar
    Stephanie

    The meaning of grieving is such a deep one to contemplate… and why is it beautiful to grieve when so unbearably painful? When animals (such as elephants) mourn in community, we can’t help but feel “Yes, that’s right. Mark and push against this somehow.” I do think there’s a part of us that tries to accept that it’s the way of things and move on, but the deeper part is way more powerful eventually.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      I think you are right, Stephanie. While we know it is the way of the world, and we must march on, the connections we build throughout our lives become etched on our hearts and we cannot just shake it off, even if there are times we may wish we could.

      It is a testament to the impact people can have on our lives that we shed so many tears for them.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. Stephanie Avatar
        Stephanie

        Very well and thoughtfully said, Kevin.

        Liked by 1 person

      2. Kevin Avatar
        Kevin

        Thank you, Stephanie. 🙏🙏

        Liked by 1 person

  22. One Year Later… – The Beginning At Last Avatar
    One Year Later… – The Beginning At Last

    […] have seen all the comments on the What Drives Thee post, and I am absolutely stoked by the responses! Unfortunately, we are bracing for some rather […]

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      🤘

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  23. KC Avatar
    KC

    A thought-provoking post my friend. 👍🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much, KC. It still has me thinking. More so now after reading all the replies.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
      1. KC Avatar
        KC

        🙂👍

        Liked by 1 person

  24. Pennize Pics Avatar
    Pennize Pics

    I ask myself the same sometimes. Especially when I don’t make hardly any money doing it. But, what I know is that I enjoy it and the escape that I feel from my regular life. It’s also a way to show my creativity with the hope that someone will like my stuff.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you, Pennie. I think the fact that we come back to it, despite it’s multiple frustrations at times, speaks volumes about it’s power. Perhaps we don’t make much money off it, and perhaps we don’t even appreciate our own talents from time to time, but inexplicably, it still manages to draw us back in like steel to a magnet.

      I may never fully understand why, but reading all these fine replies makes me wonder if it’s good enough to just say “I create because that is what I do”.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  25. byngnigel Avatar
    byngnigel

    This is beautiful. Not dark at all. It’s a genuine question, asked by a genuine soul. Creatives are forever driven by curiosity. From the moment we are conceived and formed, birthed into the world, curiosity propels us. Life is always asking, why?.
    This is a very good piece, Kevin.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      Thank you very much, Nigel. It kind of came to me as I was thinking exactly why I did what I did, and it spilled out onto the page. 🙏

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply
  26. NTT Showcase: 2/13/25 Edition – The Beginning At Last Avatar
    NTT Showcase: 2/13/25 Edition – The Beginning At Last

    […] Thursday Let The Music Play Fading Circles of Existence! Untamed Wonder (NTT) What Drives Thee Season of […]

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
    1. Kevin Avatar
      Kevin

      🤘🤘

      Like

      Reply

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