Chasing Shadows

Lessons from a farm dog.

We have heard the term, “life happens.” Unfortunately, there no exceptions to the rule, sooner or later it happens to all of us. So if you are living and breathing, here’s a lesson from a farm dog.

Earlier this year I had the misfortune of accidentally running over our aging, family dog. Soon afterwards we acquired another black and white Border Collie pup, so this summer we have been experiencing the “terrible two’s” in puppy life. Water and chasing the sprinkler around are one of her obsessions. Not to mention, every time you turn on the garden hose while she is nearby, she dances with anticipation eager to attack the water streaming from the hose. It makes us wonder if she is just incredibly smart or extremely otherwise. In spite of her obsessive behavior, she is a beautiful, sensitive, affectionate dog. She is a bit protective and doesn’t always take to strangers. The last while she has layed aside her love of chasing half flattened soccer balls, for chasing shadows and reflections on buildings. This antic made for a pretty hilarious happening the other day, in which fortunately she was not hurt. When I start the old chicken truck and leave the garage, she is already in the race for the chicken barns; she never seems to tire of it. Either she’s stretched out beside the old truck running, or ambling in front of the truck, seemingly oblivious to any danger. Sound the horn, and she’s liable to stop where she is, which usually isn’t where you want her to be.

Anyone who possesses a Border Collie understands their velocity and energy levels which require plenty of open space in which to release it, and Molly’s no exception.

I was driving down between my chicken barns in the middle of the day, while Molly was doing her usual reflection chase. Her downfall seemed to result from not paying close enough attention; that is, you cannot watch where you are going while chasing a reflection on the barn wall. I turned my head just in time to see her pitch headlong, head over heels, legs and dirt flying. So intent was she on the sun reflection from my truck to the side of the barn, she missed navigating a wash out depression the rains have created. As funny as it looked to me, it surely must have been a surprising, jolting experience. Then without missing a beat she’s up, and off like it was all in a day’s work.

Seems to me this makes a pretty good comparison to our lives. We move along enjoying life, only to suddenly be brought up short by the unexpected. It happens to everyone, as much as we think we are an guard, it’s only a matter of time and something or someone will trip us up and we will go sprawling. There we lay, angry, embarrassed and humiliated, while feeling sorry for ourselves, nursing our wounds, and pain. We may not even feel like getting up. Tired and discouraged we watch everyone else seemingly happily going on with life! In fact, it may even feel a little good to have a little pity party; after all we are so tired of the fight.

So, if you find yourself in this state at this moment, take a lesson from and eager farm dog; get up and go again! You can do it, and you can make it! Get up, make any corrections you need to make, ask the Lord for strength and humbly move on again!

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again:
Proverbs 24:16