While I might have
grown up in the country next to a river for much of my youth, and while I
lived, taught, and coached for five years in Wyoming and Nebraska, I am a city
slicker at heart and by nature. Picture
Billy Crystal without being the comedian and you’ve pegged me, though I have to
admit I’ve done my share of really stupid, boneheaded stuff along the way that
would qualify as rather comedic.
For example, I
inadvertently started a stampede that wiped out a lot of electric fence and scattered
a herd of cattle for a mile or so. My
employers were not happy, but their kids got a kick out of it. I single-handedly killed a field of corn, but
part of that is the employer’s fault.
You see, I had never, ever driven a tractor in my life, and one day,
they wanted a field plowed. They set me
on a tractor, showed me how to drive it, and away I went . . . along with many
rows of corn because I had difficulty driving forward while looking back over
my shoulder. In any case, the field was
a mess.
But in the three
summers I worked for that family, they taught me about cattle and sheep.
Cattle, like other
animals, are not led. They are herded
from the sides and from behind.
Slowly. Stick a bull in front,
point it in the right direction, and the cattle follow as long as a rider rides
on each side and another one or two ride drag (bringing up the rear). Riding drag really is a drag. It’s dusty and dirty. Guess where they put me?
Sheep, like some
animals on the other hand, are led.
Sheep by nature aren’t really all that smart. They follow their appetite- literally. Head down, munching away on grass, they will traipse
all over a hillside or field as they eat, not watching where they’re headed,
which is why one or two can be easily lost.
Which brings us to
the Shepherd.
A solitary
job. A lonely job. It begins early in the morning and can run
all day and into the night. Sometimes, a
full twenty-four hours or longer. A
Shepherd can be about as attractive as riding drag on a cattle drive. Not a lot of folks clamoring for either job.
But a Shepherd is
valued nonetheless. The Shepherd’s job
is to protect from natural predators, such as coyotes or wolves, and unnatural
predators, such as a rustler. The
Shepherd’s job is to keep track of the sheep and make sure one or two don’t
wander off or stray too far away.
Which leads me to
this week’s thought . . .
I think there is
value in all three roles: Cattle, Sheep, and Shepherd. All three roles have a purpose. At times, each day, sometimes at different
times of the day, I think each of us find ourselves in one of these roles.
Like cattle, some
are content to move along with the herd, to follow and trust that whomever is
in front knows where he or she is headed.
There is guidance, of course, from the side or behind, but the herd
moves along at a leisurely pace and it arrives at a destination, hopefully
pleasant, where it they will be taken care of.
Like sheep, some
are content to be led. Some have the
need to be protected. Some are rather skittish
and it takes time before there is trust, respect, and knowledge that whomever
is watching over them has their best interests at heart.
And like the
Shepherd, there are some who want to protect, to nurture, to watch out for
flock. There is risk involved in being
the Shepherd, because it can be and often is, lonely.
So I think we can
take solace in the fact that at times, it’s okay to follow. There is peace. It’s relaxing and we’re moving along with the
rest, trusting that we’re all safe and together. And I think we can take solace in the fact
that at times, it’s okay to be led.
There is comfort knowing that someone is watching over us, protecting
us, has our best interests at heart.
And, I think that at times, we can take solace in the fact that, like
the Shepherd, we watch over, and protect, and comfort, and care for one
another. I think that’s our nature, our
purpose. Perhaps. Something to think about . . .
Live Your Life,
and Make A Difference!
To My Readers:
I received some
wonderful news from my publisher. My
book, Taking Lives, the prequel to my
Lives Trilogy, ended up #84 for the
year 2014 on UBAWA’s List of Top 100!
Thank you for taking a chance on it and giving it a read. Taking
Lives introduces me to you, and introduces you to the trilogy. It is a taste, a beginning, and it doesn’t
have a very satisfying conclusion- because I didn’t intend for it to have a
satisfying conclusion. That is where the
first book of the trilogy, Stolen Lives
begins. It begins two years after the
last scene in Taking Lives and
brings you to a resolution. I hope you
give both a chance and give them a read.
Thank you to those of you who have already.
Taking Lives can
be found at: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00MG2JAWE?ie=UTF8&at=aw-android-pc-us-20&force-full-site=1&ref_=aw_bottom_links
Stolen Lives can
be found at: http://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Lives-Trilogy-Book-ebook/dp/B00PKKN6W4/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415908221&sr=1-1&keywords=Stolen+Lives%2C+Joseph+Lewis
Thanks,
jl
Sometimes I like being the shepherd and sometimes I like being the sheep. I think being able to fluctuate back and forth is an important part of happiness.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I think the role we take is dependent upon the situation. Thank you for reading it and for your comment. I appreciate it.
ReplyDelete