“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”
Judy Blume, author
Fall is a great time of the year. Everything looks so pretty. Have you noticed even the traffic lights change color.
Rim shot!
But seriously folks, today, keeping with our fall theme, our subject is scarecrows.
Not long ago an empty lot beside our house came up for sale. It had been vacant for years and the owner fell behind on their taxes. Apparently the city was losing money paying someone to mow it so they offered us one of those deals too good to refuse. We took it off their hands and now the job of mowing fell to me. And I must admit, for a man who does not get all that excited about mowing grass, in short order I had it looking pretty good.
The lot sits on a busy corner near a school. Before too long my inner artist begged me to let it come out and play. So I did. It started with a rugged old picnic table placed in the center of the lot. Next came a cow standing about a foot tall, welded metal painted blue. Then I found the cow a buddy. Again, metal art, a pig painted pink. I nailed my animals to the table and hung a sign around the cow’s neck which reads, “Spread Joy” Three pumpkins, some leaves, and acorns completed the table decorations.
For an extra touch of seasonal bliss I added two scarecrows. And so far they are doing a splendid job of discouraging birds and other creatures from disturbing my art.
Chances are there are one or two scarecrows looking over your shoulder.
What are you afraid of?
Is there something you want to be, do, or have?
What is holding you back?
Are you scared of looking silly?
Do you fear rejection?
Not long ago I saw this sign on the wall of a restaurant. I don’t remember what I ate that night but I’m never going to forget what the sign said, “If you don’t ask, the answer is always no.”
And let me add if you and I don’t put our dreams to the test, the universe is always going to say no.
So go out there and take a chance on earning a great big YES!
Once upon a time First Lady and political activist Eleanor Roosevelt offered this challenge, “Do one thing every day that scares you.”
And what cowboy or cowgirl doesn’t want to ride off into the sunset with John Wayne. The Duke, as Mr. Wayne liked to be called said, “Courage is being scared to death but saddling up anyway.”
So there you go, partner. Saddle up. The world is waiting for the gifts only you can offer.
Yee haw!
theartofbecomingawildflower 