Wild piglets
A few nights ago I was driving on a winding country road near my house...it is a simple country road between two fields and as I was driving I saw some dark somethings moving around in the middle of the road...I put my bright lights on, and there was another car coming my way as well. We both stopped driving. And parked. And there it was. In the bright headlights in front of me, I saw about 10 wild little baby piglets huddled together, walking in circles around and around each other--confused, probably scared, not knowing which direction to go...a jumble of piglets. No direction. No purpose. No one to follow. No Mama piglet or Papa piglet in sight. They kept circling and circling each other in one confused, moving mass piglet huddle.
Immediately, I opened the door, and popped out, knowing that this other car was watching me with their headlights on too, in the darkness of the night. I stood there in front of the scared piglets--little black piglets, little brown piglets, and one copper colored piglet.
I clapped a few times and they all looked at me in their football piglet huddle....gently I cooed to them to go to the grassy side of the road...come on, come on guys...let's get going...clap, clap, clap...sweeping my hands along in large broad gestures to move them to the side of the road. I kept leaning towards that side, walking them to that side, and finally one brave little piglet started marching over in my direction, to my voice, to my hands, and to my place, and to the grassy pasture...then, all of a sudden, a sweet breath in time, the rest of the piglets followed this one little piglet...and because of that one brave piglet they made their way across the road and on to the grassy pasture, and then shuffled into the dense brush on the side of the hilltop. All they needed was a nudge.
I bring this sweetly unexpected moment up because it reminded me that sometimes in life we all need a nudge...someone pointing us in the right direction. Sometimes we are stuck too. When I am feeling stuck in life I have a few friends I do lean on, and I do ask for help. I do ask for direction. Those piglets were helpless in that moment...all they needed was a bit of reassurance, someone to lead the way, point them in the right direction. And so I did. And they trusted me. Simple things. Simple truths. Who do you lean on for help, guidance, reassurance on your path?
Today's recipe: roasted brussel sprouts...
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