Nestle into your covers of your warm and comfy bed,
Find your pillow,
And gently rest your head.
Take a moment to breathe,
To let go of the day,
To find quiet and peace as the tension slips away.
Now,
Breathe again,
Following the rhythm of your breath.
Your body relaxes deeply as it readies for deep breaths.
Now,
Imagine a cowboy,
Silhouetted against the sun,
Stuts in hat,
Shiny black horse,
Riding at the break of dawn.
He wears red flannel that hangs off his shoulders,
And years of sunburns make his face look older.
Yet,
He doesn't complain.
In fact,
He lives in joy,
Feeling his independence,
Living life as a cowboy.
Now,
Visualize the cowboy herding cattle during the day.
He whistles and rides,
And makes the cows go his way.
An Australian shepherd helps him steer the herd,
And follows the cowboy's commands with just a single word.
Then,
The cowboy leads the cows to the desired destination,
Keeping them in their perfect formation.
And as the day gives way to the blanket of night,
The cowboy makes camp by the crackling firelight.
He feeds and waters the horns,
And sits down with his dog,
Gazing at the night sky,
Leaning against a log.
Now,
Imagine that you're smelling a can of beans and some meat.
The cowboy cooks over the fire,
And then heartily eats.
Sometimes,
He shares meals with another cowboy or guest.
They cook,
Eat,
And drink.
Imagine,
If you can,
A night with countless stars,
The cowboy in his sleeping bag,
Asleep with gentle snores.
And he rises before first light,
Ramping up the fire again,
And cooking a can of beans,
This time with some ham.
And he drops an egg on top,
For added energy.
The new day is dawning.
Yesterday's now a memory.
Now watch him douse the fire with water and with dirt,
And brush off all the dust from his red flannel shirt.
He feeds the dog some leftover meat,
Gives his horse an apple as a good morning treat,
And he mounts his trusty steed and ventures onto the trail,
Headed to his next herding job before the night falls.
And this is his life,
Day after day.
And he really loves it,
Wouldn't have it any other way.
So even though many days he hears only his voice,
He truly loves his life,
Because this life is his choice.
So as you dream tonight of places that fill you with joy,
Remember what you choose can fill you,
Just like the cowboy.
Namaste,
Beautiful.
