Take Down Your Fence

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July 16, 2020

I love words.  To listen to others share them.  To watch others react or completely ignore them.  Words instantly grab my attention.  I don’t listen to the radio or a podcast without physically making myself present in what’s being shared.  They’ve got the confidence to share their words.  Words that may inform, help soothe your anxiety, words that empower or even take away.  Words!  On this podcast episode, a moment of conversation about chickens that find it difficult to remain behind a fence.  Growing up in Montana chickens were my life.  I not only fed them but I sat in that hen house for hours watching them communicate, clean up the messing floor, dance around like kids or sit on a nest hoping to pop out what the human would steal.  Our hen house was huge and so was the lay of land they were able to explore daily.  Somewhat free range chickens.  They had a huge area to roam but it was protected by four walls and a ceiling of chicken wire.  Nothing got in and nothing could get out.  That fence was there to protect their innocent little minds.  Here in 2020 chickens get to run free.  A city neighbor up the street has chickens and they keep getting out of his yard.  My good friend Angela wrote to me the other day sadly expressing how she’s getting tire of burying her chickens because another animal got to them.  She too allows them to be out in the wild.  Fences.  That was the word I heard my wife say today.  Fences.  It stood out so loud.  And into my daily writing I went with the question, “Shall we put up a wooden fence?  Would it have a knot hole so the passerby’s can look in? A fence has no reason other than to point out how much is yours and the rest can be evenly divided.”  We put fences around ourselves every day.  We’ve convinced our hearts that we are protected.  Oh?  Are you keeping people out or keeping people in?  I’m endlessly introduced to people who claim they have writers block.  They can’t create today because they aren’t in the mood.  No they won’t explore new ideas and opportunities.  Yeah ok.  You’ve put a fence around you.  Writers block doesn’t exist.  It’s your perfectionist self telling the rest of you that no matter how many times you try everything sucks.  You’ve built a fence.  This Covid-19 journey is an opportunity for you to explore newer levels of yourself.  In the beginning we were gung ho on the idea that there was now enough time to make a difference elsewhere.  When instant success didn’t plop the bucks into the wallet, up went the fence. Take it down.  It’s not who you are.  People that use the excuse of being an introvert should be fence builders for Lowes or Home Depot.  You think you’re protected on your side of the fence.  Always remember one thing.  Those of us on this side of your fence can hear everything you’re complaining about on your side.  Loud and clear, “Life sucks.  People hate me.  I have no dreams.  Where’s my day of victory?” Take down the fence.  Your first step of a brand new beginning is waiting for your energy.