Learn from the Mighty Bighorn

"High Impact"

24" x 40"

Woodburned on birch

Available

Over the last several months, bighorn sheep have been on my mind. I've enjoyed developing this scene of the two bighorns charging into combat with each other.  Imagine the scenery and the sound!  During this time I have studied various sources of info about these amazing animals.  They are fascinating creations of intentional design!  In thinking about them, a number of carry-over lessons for life emerge. Here'a a few I'll share with you:

1.  Face challenges head-on.

Bighorn sheep don't run the other direction.  They run into the conflict.  Often the temptation for us is to employ avoidance techniques, but the problem doesn't go away.  It is still there, often growing worse over time.  Be like a bighorn....run to the problem and deal with it straightaway.  Nip it in the bud.

2.  Know where your nourishment is found.

During the winter months, bighorns migrate from the high alpine meadows to lower elevations where food isn't covered in deep drifts. If they stayed up high, they would die. Likewise, we need to be aware of what nourishes our souls and avail ourselves of good substance. With busy schedules, it is easy to attempt to "run on empty", but that leads to malnutrition and "dis"-ease to our lives.  Bighorns also ruminate, or chew the cud.  This is part of their nutrition process. That takes time, but it is necessary for gaining maximum nourishment from their food.  I appreciate this quote by Daniel Goleman:  "People who are self-reflective---who take time out to pray or to meditate or have some way of being in nature regularly, who spend time being with themselves and have a rich interior life---are better able to pay full attention to other people."

King David also wrote about the impact of nourishing one's inner life from Psalm 1:

"Oh, the joys of those who...delight in the law of the LORD, meditating on it day and night.  They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do."

3.  Absorb hard knocks.

The impact of two charging bighorn rams is absorbed through their bodies due to their unique design.  The rams' horns consist of two layers.  Their skulls are double-layered and they also have a massive tendon between their skull and spine to help the head pivot and recoil.  When we encounter setbacks or run into obstacles in life, the better tactic is to not be brittle and abrasive to them, but to absorb and learn from the impact.  Gain all the lessons you can and turn it into a stepping stone in your life, not a stumbling block.

4.  Get a grip on challenges.

Bighorn sheep hooves are remarkably designed to be able to grip on barely a two-inch rock ledge.  The cloven front hooves allow for gripping uneven rock.  The outer edge of the hoof is hard while the inner surface is a rubbery material to help with gripping.  In our lives, we need to be prepared for rough terrain and steep climbs.  Study the lives of others, read, and be a careful observer of what works in life.  Abraham Lincoln said:  "I must read and study to prepare myself, for someday my chance will come."

5.  Be discerning.

The bighorn sheep have very keen eyesight.  They can accurately judge distances for leaping and landing safely.  Predators can be spotted from far away, as much as 8x power binoculars.  It is very difficult to successfully sneak up on a herd of bighorns. Likewise, we need to develop our discernment for what is true, excellent, admirable, honorable, and right.  Doing this will keep us from error and stumbling along the way.

6.  Climb higher.

A survival factor for the bighorn sheep is to stay in proximity to what is called "escape terrain".  That is why they are found in canyons, cliffs, and on steep slopes.  They have excellent memories and can recall all the crooks and crannies and crevices for good footing. They know what will hold up in making a 20 ft. leap across space.  And they know that keeping higher than their predators can go when under attack is vital.  Like them, we need to get higher than our problems.  Gaining ground is a gain in perspective.  It puts us out of reach so that difficulties cannot take us under.  We need to know our strengths and weaknesses.  But even more, we need to have a place of refuge that is greater than what assails us.  I love what King David writes in Psalm 91:  "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.  I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' "

Live bravely and beautifully!