What the Heck Does that Mean, 'Looking Life in the Eye?'

Years ago, as a kid growing up on a farm in Iowa, I was sometimes pressed into service herding cattle from one feedlot or pasture to another.  It wasn't my favorite thing to do.  Especially when one of the huge beasts would separate itself from the others, plant its four cloven feet, lower its huge head and look as though it was giving thought to charging me.

It hardly seemed like a fair standoff; a skinny seven year old against an animal ten times its weight and size.  Given this, the nearest fence seemed the best option to me, but this was when my Dad would call, "Look it in the eye, Sis!  Look it in the eye!"

Well that seemed about the silliest darn thing I'd ever heard.  Why ever would I want to do that?  It made no sense at all.  Once he'd distracted the steer and it had returned to the herd, he explained that looking it in the eye took it's power away.  "If he thinks your not afraid, he'll back off."

It seemed risky, but the next time I gave it a try and, amazed as I was, he backed up three or four steps, turned his tale and left me standing there with my mouth agape.

So I've found it is with life.  If I look a problem in the eye, more often than not, I can get the best of it.  Take writing a blog for example.  For ever so long I've given thought to it, but I'd encounter stumbling blocks: "How do I even begin to set one up?" and  "What makes you think you have something to say?" as well as the most frightening of all, "What if no one reads it?"

Then, from the distant past, I hear my Dad's voice, "Look it in the eye, Sis!  You won't know if you can set one up if you don't try, and you can always ask for help.  Come on, you haven't lived for 76 years without having something you can share.  Go one, write it, if you don't they for sure won't read it.  If you do, they just might come!"

And so here I am!  And so are you!  Welcome...I'm glad you're here and hope you'll come back as I share some highlights, some what could be called 'low lights' and, perhaps, even some insights.  For now, as my Aunt Toot used to say when she was leaving,

Too Loo!