Greetings Member and Readers

Sometimes, one hears a tale or a fable that sort of sticks in one’s craw.

Remember this tale!

One day the sheep came upon a length of fencing on their grassy knoll and beside it they found a cache of food for the taking.  Warily, they ate but this was much better than foraging.  Foraging was just too much work and stressful in this hilly terrain, so this continued for a while.

Later in the month, there were two lengths of fencing connected at a right angle and still the food was there.  They thought nothing of it, maybe a little but the food was Good.

They ate and then drank and napped in the valley.  It was another stress free day.  Yep, soon a third fence appeared and they ate, napped and felt satisfied that they had found Eden.  The grass was trampled and dying but they had better food.  Oops, a forth fence soon appeared closing off the food, but one smart ram found an opening and went on in to enjoy a great meal, they all followed despite warnings from the silly feeble elders.

They ignored and criticized the old sheep and shunned them.  Things were great, no big deal until the following month, they all entered, ate their fill and upon leaving, there was a gate in the opening and it was closed and locked.  They could not leave, could not enjoy their regular naps in the nearby shade nor could they drink from the creek.

Though people showed with food regularly, there was less and less food, it did not taste as good and they were soon drinking dirty water from a large tub, living on their own unkempt fenced-in ground and many were getting sick. The Elders that eluded capture were soon killed by wolves for they did not have the protection of the greater herd.

The herd?  They could see the shady valley, the creek and the healing herbs growing just below them along the edge of the creek but had no choice but to endure a low quality existence without the wisdom of the elders and they were stuck now on low quality food, no clean cool water and unclean ground with no freedom to move as they wished.

By this time, they were dependent upon the free food and the young did not even remember the days of foraging and freedom. Unhappily, there were no elderly leaders present to suggest jumping the fence.  Truly, that did not matter for they   were all too weak to jump the fence anyway.  Besides that, for those in captivity, whatever was beyond the fence suddenly had become too frightening to consider.

That is how you capture sheep or a “country”…..  Anybody care for a lamb chop with mint jelly?

Beware: of what you wish for

Be Aware:  you might get it.

TPP