I'll Try Again Tomorrow

This past week my wife and I took 10 members of our family on a short four-day mini-vacation. We stayed in Santa Barbara for two nights and then traveled to the Alisal Guest Ranch near Solvang. The Alisal is like a “Dude Ranch” but way more modern and fun. It is situated on 10,000 acres of beautiful countryside that includes 100-year-old oak trees, beautiful blue lakes, and a wide variety of wildlife.

The first morning we arrived we jumped on a Hay wagon and took a 20-minute ride up into the hills. When we arrived at our destination, we were treated to a fantastic outdoor breakfast of scrambled eggs, steaming hot pancakes, applewood smoked bacon, and homemade biscuits and gravy. The food was phenomenal and while we ate our breakfast a rugged old cowboy sat nearby strumming his guitar and singing country western campfire songs.

I know it probably sounds kind of corny, but it was actually lots of fun. And one of the best things about the trip is that we get to do it as a family, building bonds, and making memories, and quite often seeing things we have never seen before. This trip was no different. On the way up to the breakfast spot we saw a wide variety of strange and interesting animals. Obviously, there were lots of cows and horses. But we also saw things you don’t normally see, like colorful turkeys and huge ostriches running wild through a pasture of thick velvety green grass. Perhaps the most interesting thing we saw though, was the pair of enormous American bald eagles perched at the top of the highest tree on the property.

But as majestic as those giant eagles were, the creature that caught my attention the most was tiny. In addition to everything else, there is also a golf course at The Alisal Ranch and when we approached the 17^th hole, we noticed a small lake in front of the green. As we walked toward the green, we spotted a tiny little turtle clinging to the face of a sheer rock wall, just two feet above the water. He had one leg stretched straight up and was trying his hardest to climb straight up that slippery 5’ wall. His body was small but apparently his heart was huge. Unfortunately, as I ran back to the golf cart to get my phone so I could capture the moment, the brave little guy lost his grip and plunged back into the lake. I don’t know how many times that tiny soldier attacked that wall, but my guess is that he isn’t done trying.

And that got me thinking… We come across all kinds of wildlife here on earth, but we also come across all kinds of people. Some are big, bold and beautiful, and even a bit majestic in appearance. Others, however, may be a bit small, or quiet, or even slightly drab in their appearance. But you can’t tell a person’s character or courage by their appearance. For that you need to look deep inside, at their heart!

Eagles on Top of the World

Turtle Lake and the vertical Rock Wall

Courage doesn’t always roar. 

Sometimes courage is that little voice at the 

end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow".

~ Mary Anne Radmacher