The Dumbfounded & Aghast Series, Vol I, No. 7.

Many of you who do not know me quite well enough, might think I am a loser. However in my extensive research on success I have found that people who are truly enduring successful, first become really great at failure. So I am still in the running, and as far as I can tell I’m right up there with the best in this category.

I have looked life long flaws and adversity in the eye my entire life. Like mental illness, no family, no education. Those are things I can never overcome. However, I will not let them hold my dreams hostage by giving into them, enabling them  to control me by giving in to my emotions, at that crucial moment when I encounter “Splat.”

This is a story that well illustrates my point. There was, Once upon a time, a traveler who was on the trail of success and came to a fork in the path. There, sitting under a tree was a little fat man. He looked the part of the wise old monk so the traveler asks “Sir, which way is success?” the little old man looked up and pointed down a path. Now filled with enthusiasm the traveler set off down the path indicated, thinking how easy it is when you ask the right question to the right people at the right time. Then all of a sudden there came this loud “Splat!” Shortly the traveler appeared back at the tree with the little man still sitting there. Thinking He had not understood properly he asked the little old man again “Sir which way is it to success?” The little old man looked up again and pointed back down the same path.

The traveler shakes his head trying to clear the ringing in his ears and sets off back down the path. Then shortly there is a deafening sound “SPLAT!” Then came the traveler again emerging from the path, broken, bloody, and in tatters. Now he is really angry and starts shouting at the old man. “Why did you send me down the wrong path not once but twice?” Then screaming he shouted at the little old man “Which way to success?” The little old man started raising his arm when the traveler screamed again. “No more pointing, talk!!” The little old man went on and raised his arm pointing the same path and said in a very low, but clear voice, “That way… just a little past…”Splat”…

See, people used to think I was headed down the wrong path. Well, I can see their point, I did end up in prison a few times and I haven’t quite made it past “Splat!” Yet. However, I am not a quitter.

One of the great secrets I have found is not to pretend it don’t hurt when you get the “splat,” cause it does. It does no good to blame someone else. They are my flaws and my adversity so it is my job to learn from them and eventually learn to manage them in a successful way. I will never overcome them, there is no cure for a mental illness or anything that is water under the bridge. So I am still on the path to success and learning from “splat” that the true solace comes in the journey and its more in the doing of things you love. It is not about who has the biggest sack of marbles at the end of the game its about how many you have helped up along the way, that is the real prize… Life! Living!  If we hold hands and stick together we just might get past “Splat” one day… well Maybe.

Peace & Light
Cowboy

PS:  Miss Apple Tree sends her regards and is proudly displaying two more tiny little new leaves. This leaving is terrible for us parents you know.