Blind Thoughts: Part 1

This morning, I dragged my ass out of bed at 5am to go bow hunting. Running on about 5 hours of sleep, but when it comes to hunting, one of my favorite hobbies, I’m gonna make it happen.

I get outside and start the quarter-mile trek to my blind. Three-quarters of the way there, I realize I forgot a critical piece to my bow… the rope to cock the string back! So, back home I go. Only to realize I flat-out misplaced it. Already supposed to be in my blind, I end up using my spare crank instead. No big deal, right? Except the damn crank jams while holding back a 250lb draw string. If you don’t speak bow, just know that’s BAD. I had to break the crank off just to get my bow usable again. I was pissed.

Then I finally make it to the blind only to find the missing piece sitting in there like it had been laughing at me all along. Thank God. But of course, as I’m trying to set everything back up, my bow starts malfunctioning in the middle of the woods. Loud as hell, squeaking, clicking, and I’m half an hour late, dripping in sweat, ready to throw the whole thing in the trash.

By the time I sat down, I knew I’d probably scared off every deer within a mile. I was frustrated as hell. Felt like nothing was going my way.

But then… I just sat. And it hit me. I’m in my deer blind, on my own property, watching the sun rise. Listening to the world wake up. And when I’m done, I’ll walk back to my house, where my beautiful wife and two amazing kids are waiting for me. I fucking have it made, and here I was losing my cool over some petty bullshit.

As cliché as it sounds, sometimes you’ve gotta stop, breathe, and count your blessings. I know I’m blessed beyond measure. I’ve got a solid career where I’m supported, an incredible wife, the most beautiful kids a man could ask for, and the freedom to hunt and fish whenever I want. Not everyone gets that. Hell, in my line of work, I see people who have nothing, yet they still find a way to keep going.

So here’s me being real: I need to do a better job of living in the moment, not letting the petty shit get to me, and just appreciating the little things. Because those little things? They’re actually the big things.

And on that note, the sun is starting to come up and it’s time to hunt. 

Be blessed, friends.