"When You're Up to Your Neck in a Hole...

The first thing to do is stop digging." :) ... kind of an old philosophy ain't it?

Long ago I stepped off with a clear eye. Over time, mechanical failures and the wearing burdens of life grind away and throw up a veil of dust that clouds the vision. ~ Nobody is immune ~

You start to feel like you're losing your way. Such times can trigger an almost panicked feeling where you start flailing blindly. Like a drowning man pounding the water to foam struggling to stay afloat. When what he needs to do is just lay back and... Float.

When you're "lost" and confused, the first thing you do is really simple. Sit down and take inventory... If you go to panicked running in circles you end up still lost but now you're worn out too!

You have to sit down and just quietly look out toward the horizon and sort things out. When you do that you come to realize that once again, the confusion that besets you at times is just another ploy of the "beast" to drag you back under its control.

The beast despises Freedom and will toss out all manner of obstacles trying to trip you. If it can make you fall it opens up the opportunity to leverage your fear, into surrendering a bit of your Freedom for some bit of foo fur aw. It lures and deceives you back into chains.

Keep a Clear Eye.

Thinking you've broken Free isn't the end. You can't get careless. It's kind of like broncs. You may ride one today, but that don't put an end to it. There'll be another couple to climb on tomorrow. To sustain the foundation of our Freedom is an effort without end. Luckily, unlike the darkness it excludes, Freedom gives more than it takes. Much more.

No matter how strong you are, how clear your understanding, you'll get bucked off now and again. There's no shame in that.

"There never was a horse that couldn't be rode ~ Never a cowboy couldn't be throwed."

When you hit the dirt, no matter how hard; If you're still breathing it's time to Cowboy Up!... Sit up, spit out the dust you didn't swallow... stand up, brush the dirt off your jeans and your hat... put one foot in front of the other! ... and step off to see what Shining Times you can find for today.

Crackin' Out
Brian