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6 April ~2014

When things don't go as well as we would like, that might be time to take stock of the blessings that remain, and view hardships as a challenge to find out how strong you are.

The knack of being a survivor is letting the negatives in your life fuel something positive.

Problems at work is what initally led me to start volunteering for local Nature Centers, to balance out something that took energy away, with something that by giving reinforced the good in life. I led school groups and their teachers on nature walks, which was easy for me, since I have had a love for nature since as far back as I can remember. It seemed like an expansion of the walks I always took with my daughters while they were growing up. I learned that the style that worked for me is to string together stories about nature - I saw that stories tended to catch the kid's attention, and caused them to remember what I was teaching way beyond what could be done by listing off facts. Eventually I started going in to schools, for the last seven years telling stories for the Spellbinders organization. It is like magic when I find a good story and practice it well enough that I capture the whole classes attention, not one making a sound.

I did the same thing when I found myself alone on weekends over a decade ago. I started going out to more dances, and have continued two or more times a week since then, blues and lindy swing and country western (they all eventually overlap). It is a great experience when you get into zone of intimate connectivity between yourself, the music, and your partner. It is satisfying how grateful the follows can be, no matter what their age.

And I have always found that if I want to break out of some thinking that has me believing in limitations rather than thankfulness, always head up high and backpack and camp the Rockies with my Border Collies. It's not a mystery why this works for me. I open my heart and let myself be healed and renewed by nature and mountains and the companionship of my mountain dogs.

When it gets down to it, what do you think I will remember in the final weeks and days and hours of my life? Do you think it will be sitting at my desk being the good employee while younger workers get the promotions, or the memory of the look in those children's eyes when I catch them in a good story, the kind that will remain in their heart for a lifetime. Do you think it will be the rewards or lack of from my organization, or the sight of those clouds lifting off the Collegiates while the storm clears? I am pretty sure it will be the latter, and the warm remembrance of the love of the Border Collies who walked the high trails with me, and sat beside me while the stars came out at night.


For in the true nature of things, if we rightly consider, every green tree is far more glorious than if it were made of gold and silver.

Martin Luther

Listen to Nothing on Me by Chris Knight enter userid of 'music' and password of 'music2012' (lowercase, without quotations) (file will take a while to load)


Nothing on Me - Little Victories CD, Chris Knight

I caught a .22 bullet in the thigh one night
Tryin' to break up a barroom fight
Went home cut it out with my ol' buck knife

Rode down in a blizzard on the great divide
Walked twenty miles til i caught a ride
Trooper said boy it's a wonder you're still alive

(chorus)
I've rode hard luck
I've been bruised and bucked
I've been hittin' the ground and turnin' around
And gettin' back up
And they're layin' 'em off down at kankakee
And there's boards on the windows up and down the street
And they're sayin' that it's gonna get darker before the dawn
But you can bet your ass i'll keep the lights on
Keep my babies fed and throw my dog a bone
Cuz i'm a bring it on git 'er done don't run s.o.b.
Times are tough but they ain't got nothin' on me

I got a three legged dog i call jake
Got the won't back down scars on his face
He tussled with a bear and he came in second place

He comes back home every now and then
With some brand new scars & a hefty grin
And i know i'm proud to call ol' jake my friend

(chorus)
'Cuz he's rode hard luck
He's been bruised and bucked
He's been hittin' the ground and turnin' around
And gettin' back up
And now they're layin' 'em off down at kankakee
And there's boards on the windows up and down the street
And they're sayin' that it's gonna get darker before the dawn
But you can bet your ass i'll keep the lights on
Keep my babies fed and throw my dog a bone
Cuz i'm a bring it on git 'er done don't run s.o.b.
Times are tough but they ain't got nothin' on me
Times are tough but they ain't got nothin' on me


 

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