Keep Your Eye On the Cow

First, you gotta watch the video. It's less than minute long. No, seriously. You've got to watch. 


Really. Do it.


Now that you've watched the video, let's move on. 


I worked for a cutting horse trainer back in my single days. I actually got to ride horses that moved like the one you saw in the video above. Isn't he amazing? Did you see him hit is butt as he stopped to get back to that cow? Did you see him rattle before he moved off to follow the cow? Yeah, buddy that's good stuff. 


But I really want to talk about the rider. If you have to, watch it again. Did you notice that guys seat? It was pretty much planted in the saddle. Did you notice his hands? Down low with loose reins. In fact, picking up your reins in cutting is a penalty. He's not pulling or pushing that horse with his hands at all. That means, he's almost a total passenger, except for a bump with the leg if necessary. How, then, does he know where that horse is moving to next? 


The rider watches the cow's eyes. If you have to, watch the video again. It's like a stare down with the cow.  If you keep your eye on the cow, you'll stay in the saddle. If you take your eye off of the cow, you'll be "checking the quality of the ground". 


The cow always looks to where he's headed before he moves his feet. His eyes reveal exactly what he's planning on doing next. He looks where he's going, his nose points, and his feet follow. 


Horses are the same. The feet follow the nose. 


People are the same, too. 


We are, after all, but animals too. Where the eyes are focused, so will be all the effort. With people, it's a little more complex though as we also have a moral capacity attached to that focus: "for where your ^atreasure is, there will your heart be also" (Luke 12:34) . 


 We always reveal our next step in life through our eyes. Keeping focused on any one thing will always result in your actions leading toward that thing. If the eyes are set on the material things of the world, so will be the heart. If the eyes are set on spiritual goals, so will the heart also be set on those treasures.

From Doctrine & Covenants 88:67: 

And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things.

One who sees the "bigger" picture and lives for the realization of that picture, has a measured stride that carries her toward her goals. There is no frantic scrambling of self. There is no desire to placate herself with worldly goods. Rather, there is a sense of purpose and fulfillment that cannot be matched. 


The understanding of true principles (light and knowledge) brings peace to our hearts, minds, and souls. The ability to comprehend all things is perhaps one of the richest blessings a mortal being could receive. To know the meaning of life, the purpose of struggle, the reality of God, and the promise of eternal life just skims the surface of what that means for us. Think of the depth of wisdom that could be garnered if this blessing is to be fulfilled. 

If we keep our eyes, and thus hearts, set on the work of the Lord we can have that blessing as promised in the scripture above. If we keep our eyes set on serving, loving, spreading the gospel, testifying, forgiving, and all of the other works Heavenly Father is counting on us to do, we can understand all we need (and want!) about this life and the next.