Finding Satisfaction

“Two thousand pounds”

Finding Satisfaction

I looked across a large field and watched as about two thousand pounds of hair and flesh were pressing against a failing fence.  Funny how that kind of weight can damage even the strongest of barriers over time.  I dropped what I was doing and went to get some tools.

Once I was armed, with what I thought I needed, I walked through the grass to the damaged area.  By the time I got there the offender had moseyed away acting as if he had done nothing at all.  I stood and stared at the mangled wire.  Another two thousand pounder walked up to greet me.

He was standing right in front of me flashing innocent eyes while hoping to be stroked by my hand.  I reached out and obliged him for a moment only.  I had much to do and didn’t have a large fence repair on my schedule.  When I finished petting my friend, I reached out and tugged at the contorted wire.  It was at that moment that I knew the job in front of me was more than I was expecting.  I had to go get and use another tool.

One of the most useful tools I own is a fence stretcher.  It’s like having an additional hand and arm with the strength of “Captain America.”  I use it to grab a single strand of wire and then use the lever to “jack” the wire back into place.  Once the wire is properly aligned, the stretcher holds it until it’s attached.  It makes the impossible, possible.

Still, I was looking at about five hundred feet of repair work that needed to be done.  Now! I was feeling overwhelmed and it caused me to think about doing a short-term fix while forgetting the rest at the time.   But as soon as I started to do the work the gigantic job shrank down to its real size.

I looked down the line of fence posts and remembered a time when they weren’t there.  There was no wire, green grass or cattle.  It was hard, dry unmanaged ground when I purchased it.  I looked all around me and surveyed what I had accomplished over the years.   It was a work of beauty.

I let the beauty of the place wash over me.  I could see it with my eyes.  I felt it under my feet.  I was restoring it with my hands.  I let visions of all the work I’d done over the years rush through my head as the wind in my hair.  The satisfaction was freeing to my mood.

A couple of days later I was talking with one of my daughters whose mood had been dampened by the sheer weight of her responsibilities – her work, family & home.  Her plight reminded me of my seemingly similar mood resulting from two thousand pounds of life pressing down on my fence.  But this was rather the weight of life on her shoulders.  Funny how that kind of weight and damage even the strongest of people over time!

I began to speak with her of all she had accomplished in every area of her life.  We laughed as we spoke of times we’ve shared together, like burning mountains of tumbleweeds, as we accomplished the impossible.  She has created a life of beauty and accomplishment.  Soon our combined satisfaction swelled our hearts with joy and gratitude.

Satisfaction from your accomplishments will do the same for you if you’ll let it rush into your heart.  Take time to review what you’ve accomplished over your lifetime each day.  It will stretch your joy, attach it to your heart and show you that the impossible is possible.