Press On

    There comes a point in every person's life, when they have to make a choice.  The choice between giving in, or pushing through.  Quitting, or enduring.  In our hearts each person knows that enduring is the best option--the most desirable option.  But often the allure of giving up is too great to resist.  Often, we are too weak in our minds to push through the toughest of situations.  Greatness is born from resistance, from trial and error.  We do not revere those who sit on the sidelines, but those who act and succeed.  No one remembers the ones who give up, because it is easy to give up.  We do not respect those who choose the easy road, but those who inspire us to carry on through extreme hardship.
    We will always be in an up-hill battle.  Be it in our jobs, our marriages, our competitions, our physical appearances, our minds, no one reaches the pinnacle of success and remains unopposed.  No one has so little adversity that they squash all of their remaining opponents.  Everyone eyes the peak, and attempts to reach it.  Those who arrive at the top of the mountain are the only ones who deserve to be there, because they're the only ones who have put in the effort to conquer the slopes.  So it is in life.  If you want to be the best, go after it.  But know that no one becomes the best without incredible challenges.
     Humans are made with an ability to withstand tremendous odds.  Our historic accomplishments show as much.  Climbing Mount Everest.  Researching the deep trenches of the oceans.  Finding the poles of the world.  Our only limitation (besides the laws of science and God) is in our minds.  If we believe we cannot do something, then we cannot.  But believe you me, we can do anything we set our minds to.  


--Ludzz

Soldiers

    I have always felt the desire to write our soldiers overseas.  They show so much dedication and work ethic and bravery, yet they rarely receive any feedback from the people they protect.  It is a sad day when we, as a nation, fail to support those who bear arms in our stead.  Be it the Navy, Marine Corps, Army, Coast Guard, or Air Force, every single soldier deserves to be reminded why they are serving.  Why they put their lives on the line for a people with so little gratitude.  How can we ask them to fight for us, when we do so little in response?  How can we quarrel over petty things, when soldiers are dying daily?  When will we see that we are self-absorbed, childish and petty?  If we open our eyes the truth is plain to see; there are people who risk their lives, so that we may be free.  When did we forget this simple truth?  Why do we choose to ignore that our freedom comes at a high price?  Ask anyone who has ever served in any branch of the U.S. military, and they will tell you that the price is high indeed.  Many of them have seen their fellow brothers-in-arms fall.  May we never forget their sacrifices.  Write, or better yet send them packages, to show your support of them.   A good place to start would be, anysoldier.com.


--Ludzz

Bravery

   In this era, we are not generally called upon to be brave.  We'd rather live life in the comfort of safety, and never venture into the unknown.  We like to never be scared, never to be dependent on anything.  But eventually there will come a time in each of our lives, when we can no longer rest in safety.  There will be a situation where we will be completely vulnerable-- and we will be unprepared.  It's the little brave moments in life that prepare us for these times of complete vulnerability.  If we never cultivate our courage in small portions, how can we expect to show incredible bravery in the face of great trial?  If we are never in situations where we need to draw upon our inner strength, we will never know how strong we are, and can be.  We will never have the opportunity to build our confidence in ourselves, and in others.  For this reason, it is the day to day bravery that is the most important.  Taking small calculated risks, so that later in life, when the big challenges and dangers come (and they will come), we will be better prepared.  Bravery and courage are developed.  Develop yours today.  Be brave today.


--Ludzz

Goals

    Goals.  They are one of the most important things in life.  Whether you achieve those goals or not, it is their existence that keeps a fire for life in you.  There are other ways to obtain this zest for life, be it God, family, love-- but if you have none of these joys in life, attainable goals will give you a sense of purpose.  Without a purpose for living, we are just expendable persons floating through life.  A ship cannot set sail with no destination, a plane cannot take flight without knowing where to land-- so people cannot truly live until they have a set goal to attain.
   There is no comparison to give to help you understand the deep satisfaction of, after much trial, finally achieving a goal.  It is the seeking of this satisfaction that draws our drive to completion.  Whether you're the child with the goal of someday making it to college, or the elderly lady with the goal of walking up a flight of stairs, goals are important... no matter how small.


--Ludzz

The Olympics

   After watching mere minutes of the Olympics I was once again reminded of just how amazing all of the athletes who compete are.  I'm beginning to understand why we normal folks enjoy watching professionals compete.  It is because they are able to do something that to most people is impossible.  I will never be able to ski over jumps and do three flips in the air, I'll never be able to spin and twirl and jump while on ice skates, and I'll never be able to snowboard the pipe; so for me, I watch in utter awe at the amazing feats humans are capable of.  Think of the dedication each athlete has given to his or her sport.  Most of us cannot even fathom the effort it has taken.  
   When we watch the Olympics we get to feel just a fraction of their joy and heartbreak.  We get to be 'one' with our idols, and live their hour on top of the world with them.  We get to see the best of the best of the best be rewarded for their sacrifices.  These men and women are competing at the peak of their lives, and greatness is born from it.  The Olympics are a time when we remember the best.  Michael Phelps, Muhammad Ali, Mary Lou Retton-- these are the people we remember; these are the people who make history.    
   This competition creates an environment for each country to unite behind their athletes.  Win or lose, we are proud of them.  Not only because they represent our nations, but because they have completed something which most of us could never have completed.  And in a small way we all get inspired by them.  


--Ludzz

Welcome

    Welcome to 'The Thoughts of the Odd' blog!  We've created this blog to show our unique view on life, and to write about whatever random stuff we want to.  From horses, farm life, swimming, religion, and writing, to crafts, tips, humor, art and whatever pops into our heads when we log in.  Our words are for your amusement, and we hope you'll enjoy reading them as much as we enjoy writing them.

To close; life is short, and God is good.

Ludzz & Skyler