When Roses Aren't Just Flowers.

From The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have.

Before fixing what you're looking at,
check what you're looking through.

"Got a dirty eye, see a dirty world."

Had a fabulous day today - on the whole - watching the Kentucky Derby Undercard, and then the Derby itself. One thing that was underlined time and again was that people's perspectives, opinions and everything else that experience has them carry forward into the day; their expectations, coloured their participation and enjoyment in the day.

Someone once told me that the greatest obstacle to learning is "knowing" something already. I couldn't help but think about all these 'experts' who 'know' so much about horses, that do so badly with their picks for the race because they just don't look at and listen to the horses. They don't look at what is, just stubbornly cling to their expectations. Whatever did happen to actually listening to the athelete in a sporting situation. Sure they might not be able to talk to their trainers in words, in this instance, but they do talk and if you listen...

This is where I admire the jockeys a lot of the time. The ones that do listen to the horses - the ones that are able to balance their knowledge, experiences and expectations with listening, in communion with the horses. They're the ones that pull them up if they don't feel right - if anything happens.

Listening really does save lives.