Yesterday, my friend and I went to a farm to feed and interact with a herd of goats.
As we hugged and petted and wrestled these animals, I was reminded of my mission. The island of Jamaica is covered with these creatures, and something about seeing them reminded me of home.
The more unruly goats lived in a separate pen away from the others. In order to feed these goats, we needed to use a complicated pulley system incorporating a tin can filled with grass. I, being the kind of person who finds myself incredibly clever, made some dumb joke about expecting the goats to eat the can along with the grass.
As I spoke, my mind flashed back to a moment on my mission. My younger companion and I were observing a group of goats sorting through a pile of trash, eating whatever they could find. My companion commented about how stupid these goats were. They was grass all around them, but. instead, they were rummaging through garbage. I agreed.
Then, all at once, my companion sobered. "I suppose we're like that, too," he said, referring to mankind. "Rooting through garbage to find the one good thing."
That sobered me, too.
It had been a long time since I last remembered that lesson, and I often forget the principle. How many times do I seek after something with only a few good parts, vainly attempting to ignore the rest? I see this the most often in my chosen entertainments, but there are other applications as well. I'm sure you see them.
It's funny, sometimes, how even something as simple as a goat can bring back jewels.
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