I realize that title may be somewhat misleading…but in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m extremely thankful for those moments that you have an opportunity to pause and really enjoy life.  And more specifically those times when you have a chance to self-reflect and evaluate, embrace affirmation, or if necessary, make a course correction.

I just took my car and ran an errand downtown to share some 4-H curriculum with a local volunteer.  Anyway, when I got back in my car, I swung around the block which took me down the main street through town.  What gave me pause was that in the distance I saw something running around on the street.  As I drove toward it, I evaluated and figured out, that yes, indeed, it was a rooster. 🙂  Not just any old rooster but a young, Welsummer (at least I think so) rooster.  Gathered around the rooster were several senior citizens that were trying to herd the rooster into a large dog kennel.  They knew that for the rooster to remain on the main street of town was well…not going to end well for the rooster.  So, they gingerly were herding the rooster. I watched as one elderly man used his cane to poke toward the rooster to ineffectually herd it toward the dog kennel.  The point of my observation.  In that moment I remembered an event at our poultry show when several young 4-Hers were trying to catch a nimble chicken.  Interestingly enough I realized in that moment that the elderly trying to catch the rooster had experience with poultry…as they had assumed the same stance (as best they could) that the young 4-Hers who were successful chicken catchers used and they were just quietly and persistently going about the task.  Temple Grandin would be proud of both the 4-Hers and the elderly rooster herders.  No one was running straight at the bird, which would scare it immensely, and put it in even greater danger.

My reflection….yes, we are providing our youth with the same hands-on experience that perhaps one day they would once again call upon or better yet, apply to every aspect of their lives.  …Persistence (grit), and the English saying “Stay Calm and Carry On”, and to always give the best care possible to all animals in any environment.  My other reflection…not everything has to go perfectly on script for excellent opportunities for learning to occur.  Just “stay calm and carry on.”