Friday, April 1, 2005

For years, a farmer lived on the border of Iowa and Minnesota and never knew what state he actually lived in.

Finally, an official surveyor came to the farm to determine his residency.

"Sir, it turns out you live in Iowa."

"Whew!" the farmer sighed.

"Why so relieved?" the confused surveyor asked.

The farmer simply replied, "No more Minnesota winters."

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There seems to be a little bit of Iowan farmer in each of us. We find ourselves sitting on all kinds of metaphorical fences and not quite being able to decide on which side we reside. Are we generally cursed or blessed in our life? Are we generally a good person or not? Are we loved or all alone? And that state of not actually knowing for certain can wear a person down.

It would be so nice if we were always confident and positive about ourselves, but sometimes we rely on others and the world around us to push us off that fence one way or the other. In fact, there's a little bit of surveyor in each of us as well.

"You are such a blessed person for these reasons..." or "How can someone be so unlucky?..."

"You're one of the nicest persons I know..." or "You are such a conceited, egotistical, selfish, ..."

"I'm glad you're my friend and I don't know what I would do without you..." or "............"

Our responses on a daily basis - as well as others' responses to us - pushes a little more one way or the other from the top of that fence. What have you said lately to help those around you down off their fence? And off which side of the fence were you pushing them?

For each of us, it always feels good to say, "No more winters of indecision..."