I literally wrote a song while waiting in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

For the span of my life since I could (officially) drive, a few decades, the standard “worst possible experience” of tedium and boredom and uninspiring adult life has been designated as “waiting in the line at the DMV”. I’ve used the scenario to make my point dozens of times and regularly interacted with adults who also consider the DMV the worst experience one can have in government interaction. It does seem impossibly soul-killing to wait for hours to get a bad photo made, to bring a slew of the almost wrong documents, to be herded into a cold and poorly lit building, and to be interrogated as to your benefit to society around driving a motor vehicle.

But, musical inspiration can come at any time of day, during any activity. It seems some barrier has been broken in the universe, as I have written a song at the DMV.

True, it was because I was early. True, it was due to riding my motorcycle out into the country. It was indeed bolstered by the beauty of God around me. It takes a living and present God of the universe to overcome the DMV, but it has been done. Alone in the awakening morning of late August, sitting on the concrete sidewalk, holding my place in line with resilience, I found myself ahead of the crowd and (a rarity for me) early to the DMV in the small ruralish town of Millington, Tennessee.

Music struck. I was able to hum, talk through lyrics, speak into my battery-fading laptop, check pitches and ignite the fires of a new song. On the steps of a government building, waiting for the soon to be populated DMV experience, I wrote a song. I enjoyed my morning with creativity and extra inspiration of the dichotomy of circumstance and light shining into my soul. Music seems to have found a way and a song was born that morning in that moment. I lost all feeling in my legs as a sat there writing, but it was worth it!

Musical inspiration can strike at any time of day or any place on earth, for it has overcome the DMV.