Don't Try To Run If Your Shoes Don't Fit!

I was cross country sking a couple days ago. The weather was turning nasty so I hurriedly put on my gear and headed out the door. I hadn't gotten out of the yard before I tangled up my skies. I didn't think much of it until on down the trail it happened again.

Wondering at my sudden clumsiness (consider I hadn't had that problem once prior this season), I looked at the skies. Well, guess what? Yep, I'd grabbed the wrong skies. In fact, I'd grabbed my husband's skies (same brand but about a foot longer). No wonder I felt like I had duck feet with monster popsicle sticks stuck to them!

It got me to thinking about life. How often do we find ourselves trying to 'make it work' while we wonder why it's so hard. For me, the problem is often perspective. And, perspective you can change.

Take the woman who came in for lunch yesterday. She was so upset she could hardly eat. In jerks and starts we got the story. She had a severe fear of uneven ground - sidehills. Well, with the wind this winter there are enough side hills around to make even an average rider nervous.

Needless to say, she was trying to run in shoes which were too big. Of course from my position I say 'what's the big deal?'. However, having faced fear a few times myself I am a bit more understanding.

What does this have to do with Elk Lake? It may not seem like much, but I think a lot. After all, living out here it often feels like we're wandering around in someone else's shoes.

Daily life puts us into uncomfortable positions. Positions which challenge us - and often make us wonder, metaphorically, where we got these lunkers on our feet.

So my point - when life throws you size 15's - stuff the toes with socks and get on with life - just don't try to run! Slowly but surely I'm learning it's possible to face most of the challenges of life if I can just get my perspective right!

Speaking of perspective! It has been the most unusual winter. Snow almost every day! What happened to our Montana sunshine? Most days it has hid behind clouds. However, although the snow comes in teeny tiny flakes, it has come!

Snowmobiling is about as good as it can get. Powder hounds are in heaven! And, as long as we can get in and out (which isn't always an easy thing to do), we're happy if they are.

Of course, today's like today - deep blue skies which defy description, sunshine so bright it hurts your eyes (even when you're indoors), and a moose or two - or a trumpeter or three - or a fox to - add life to the landscape - well, today my shoes fit just fine, thank you!

Lady of the Lake