Thomas Allen's Blog, page 6

Soulmates

Have you ever met someone and instantly made a wrong judgement about them—their manner, their vocabulary, or their dress was not pleasing to you. Then after you got to know them, they actually became your soul mate, and you realized later that you judged them on superficial things. How frequently do we miss the real person by looking only at their exterior? I hope not often.

Respect

Each year before deer hunting season, our friend who is a certified German Jägermeister —a four-year trained master hunter—comes to stay at one of the cabins. He goes out early and late to observe the deer population on the ranch and give us a report. Then he decides which and how many can be shot for food. In the tradition of the Jägermeister, after he shoots a deer, he follows a traditional ritual including a toast to the fallen animal itself. It is very important to him to honor the harvest of a wild animal and utilize the meat with respect. To me, that is so much better than just shooting animals for the fun of the sport—and the meat is delicious.

A Special Someone

Is there someone whose laugh can change your mood, make you smile, brighten your day? Consider that someone more valuable than all other “things” in life. Things come and go, change or deteriorate, but a special someone can last a lifetime—last in your memory forever.

Sharing

It is a frequent pleasure to sit on the porch at the ranch and look across the horizon as the sun begins to set—to watch an ever-changing mixture of pastel colors until finally a few trees on the skyline are a silhouette of black against a ginger sky. It never ceases to amaze me and to make me thankful for the beauty of creation. Always, the stress of the day seems unimportant. I wish I could share my horizon with you.

The joy of a Friend

One of the joys in life is to have the love of a friend. Someone who knows you, knows the things you like, knows the things that give you pleasure, and knows the things you are uncomfortable with. If you are lucky enough to have a friend like that, consider it a treasure to be cherished.