“Swim In It, But Don’t Drink It.”

I’ve been through a lot of “shit” in my life, but I do not ingest it.

My grandmother would tell me,” Swim in it, but don’t drink it.” This was the advice she gave me as a child.

As an adult, the Navy taught us to swim beneath the oil, flames, and debris. And when we needed air, to come up fanning our arms and hands to clear a path to breathe fresh air. I was asked today, “How do you deal with the “shit” that has been handed to you?” My response, as usual, was to swim in it but not drink it while keeping your head “up” as the oxen had placed upon them a yoke. To look at it, one would think the yoke to be a burden. But in knowing the ox, it would pull relentlessly through all the mud and muck. Even if falling on its knees, the ox would keep pulling. But to keep from drowning in the muck the farmer placed a yoke upon him to keep his head up. So as in life, keep your head up. Keep driving and swimming to stay out of the muck while not sinking and drowning from ingestion. As long as you can keep your head above it, the issues will never enter your mind and stifle your dreams.