COUNTING SHEEP

THE TROUBLE WITH COUNTING SHEEP

So it’s way too late for me to be up tonight or way too early for me  to be up today.  It happens and while I can’t say I am all that happy about it.  There is almost always an idea waiting  over here in the shadows that is going to have my full attention sometime during the day.  The key is to get it in writing before it haunts me and after it is formed well enough to create a space for the reader to think.  Sometimes that is a pretty small space to  fit into.  Oh well.  

People offer me solutions for my sleep “problems” and I often think…”sleep problems?”  I’m awake  thinking of my awake problems…but whatever.  I know people  only suggest what they  do because they care and that is a peaceful feeling—maybe not quite enough peaceful to create sleep, but peaceful nonetheless and I thank  all that are concerned.

That is all except for those who make the all too often "try COUNTING SHEEP"SUGGESTION  Are you bloody kidding me?   If there is one  thing that keeps me awake  at night it is the number of sheep I see  day after  day.  EverywhereI look there are group-s  of people who are wandering around in a herd looking at each other.  Some are  trying to decide who to follow, some are looking around to see who is in front of them and how many  people are  behind them in the flock and hardly any of them are  looking to each other to find leaders.  They  hope for a good shepherd but  may or may not  know what obelisk like.  The sheep follow the rules of the flock and  more importantly keep pretty  close watch on the other sheep to make sure they are following the rules too.

So, in a world that requires  change and innovation at an ever quicker  pace than before the sheep mentality is very disturbing and maybe more so because the whole  flock is often crossing  the path of life  right in the intersection  of Mediocre Lane and Unhappiness boulevard.

How does this happen to people?  I am not quite sure, however here's my theory.  Most  people/sheepwant to part of something so they  feel the importance  of being part of a flock. Most also, however,  do not want to  be the leader out there  taking the lead becauseunline when you  are one of the herd there are no footsteps to  follow.   To stay in the flock the sheep has to keep constant vigil  on the other sheep to make sure  they are  in the middle of things or  moving toward the front as to not be left behind.  It is a constant  unending gameofcomparingonerself to others.

Now some of the sheep (usually the black ones) just can't ever feel at home in the flock.   Why?  Well like  most the other sheep they  have a question that won't go away.  "what makes me unique?"  Aren't I supposed  to be out there exploring what my  particular  and unique set of skills makes me  thefts sheepI can be nomatterwhat these other sheep  think? As in the  sort of famous far side cartoon the black sheep  sometimes wants to  standoff hind legs and shout "wait a minute don't have be sheep."

So wrapping this  back to the  whole idea of peace and joy..I truly believe  no sheep can ever really be at peace until they ask themselves what is unique  about them and is herd  the place to off these special  gifts?  I don't believe each sheep cannot find joy in comparing themselves to others in the herd day after day.

So please don't  suggest I count sheep... there are way too many  and every time I think of counting them I cannot  help but wonder "what do sheep count when they  can't fall asleep?"

Well I think I got all these thoughts down and feel a crtasin peace about it so I'm going  back to sleep for a while SWEET DREAMS.