Inspiration

Today was the Homecoming Parade for 11 Light Brigade who have just returned from Afghanistan. I wanted to go for several reasons, it was something my parents would have loved it and would have been so proud to be there, there was my own sense of pride - I am friends with various friends and family who have been involved in either Afghanistan or Iraq or both - so it was acknowledgement of what they all risk and we all take for granted - their lives. And finally I thought it would be useful for my PhD. There is a military thread - hence the trip to Normandy. It was very emotional to see these soldiers march by with wonderful bands playing a perfect sound track to the spectacle. The crowds clapped and cheered, waving flags and this was only on the edge of the City, it apparently was even more amazing once you got into the centre.
However, what I didn't expect was a moment of pure inspiration, where an idea leaped into my head and formed a perfect and very neat sub plot that links various things together and provides a better ending than the one I had. But I had failed, I had taken my camera but hadn't taken pencil and paper so I kept having to repeat the plot in my head over and over again until I could get to a notebook.
Two lessons learnt: a) don't ever assume that you know where moments of inspiration are going to come from, b) always, always take paper and pen with you because the moment you don't you will need them.