Laddie was a useful dog on the farm for the next few years, and there were moments when he did good things and we understood each other— once we sorted two ewes that we needed for a show off a hundred others we didn’t need in a field and walked them home. But it was a rare moment, and I always knew he wasn’t as good as he should have been. Sometimes he’d run home when I lost my temper and shouted at him. He lost trust in me. I knew whose fault it was. Mine. I knew that I’d let him down. I look back and think he would have made a good dog if I had known a bit more. But a man’s life comes full circle; you can learn, and do better than your past. I am determined not to make the same mistakes again.
~ James Rebanks, The Shepherd’s Life: Modern Dispatches from an Ancient Landscape.
Notes:
- Photo by Alex Cearns
- Related Posts: James Rebanks
Live & Learn 
Somehow David your blogs come at just the right time. Thanks
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Thank you John.
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Between us, we will probably reprint that entire book on our blogs… and there is nothing wrong with that.
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Laughing. So Agree.
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I need this book.
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I think I do, too…
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Would you like to borrow it?
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No, I like to keep my books. 🙂
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“…you can learn, and do better than your past.” The thought that sustains us all….
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Yes, we hungry for that…
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The one thing harder/worse than a soul loosing trust in me is their Death.
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Yes. But wow, that went Dark fast!
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Because, like death, most times loosing trust is irreversible.
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Dark and DEEP! (And True)
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Yes, we learn. But sometimes it’s too late.
“The trouble is, we think we have time” – Buddha
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Wow. You are Rollin’ tonight Girl!
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So good. Might even tempt me to read a book.
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As long as we learn, we grow. Wise words.
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i learn every single day. just beginning to scratch the surface.
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Oh, so me too…
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That one was a heart-breaker.
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Forgiving ourselves for letting others down, especially those in our care, is the biggie. 💛
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Large. Very large.
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Apparently you can teach an old dog new tricks…if the human is paying attention that is.
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Exactly! Like the Pun.
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I feel same about my dog. The mistakes I made. He died when he was 3. It’s always same with everyone we repent later.
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We do repent later. Well put Indira.
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