LIKE

But when I wait for those like me,
I wonder if it’s because it’s easy.
They are in fact the ones who see
the world most like the one mine’s turned out to be.

Should instead I follow blind
the one whose life was most divine?
Then would I be more inclined
to transform my body, soul and mind?

Perhaps a quest for the un-like spirit
translates the Word to let me hear it.
Outside my spirit’s comfort zone
is where fulfillment lives alone.

And so I’ll search for the un-like me
listening for the Word from He.
I’ll strive, and hope uncomfortably
And maybe… just
MAYBE, can be an example for thee.

High Brow Cat (photos at left) was a great cutting horse. He earned $110,784 in the NCHA. He never won the Futurity. His most lucrative win was in the 5/6-Year-Old Classic at Augusta in 1994. If I had a chance to raise a horse like this, I would truly be blessed, but he never made a huge splash in the showpen.

BUT – Something else happened in 1994. The seven foals sired by High Brow Cat hit the ground. Since then he has produced offspring amassing earnings of over $49 MILLION DOLLARS. He has sired 6 NCHA Open Futurity Champions. SIX!

You guys that aren’t familiar with the cutting horse world should at least know this. There are LOTS of cutting competitions held by the NCHA every year, but the Futurity is the Super Bowl. The 2011 Champion received a check for $200,000!

Speaking of 2011 – Last year offspring of High Brow Cat won Champion AND Reserve Champion at the NCHA Futurity. His daughter, Oh Miss Caroline, won it while being shown by Craig Thompson. His son, Jewel Bars Cat won Reserve.

You cutting fans out there may recognize the name Craig Thompson. That’s because he’s won the NCHA Futurity before, in 2006, on Oh Cay Felix – sired by . . .

That’s right – High Brow Cat.

Professionally, I’m in the business of being on the Web. Well, technically I guess we’re in the business of helping other horse people be on the Web. So, we’re on the Internet alot. No, ALOT.

Well, something has begun to cover the Web. LIKE buttons. A new website goes up… it gets posted on Facebook and the owner says, “go Like my new website.” A new Facebook page gets created and invites go out – “Come Like my Page”. There’s even a Like button on this very post. (Click it. Click it 😉 )

Anyway, our list of ‘Likes’ says so much about our personalities. If we really look into it, it really describes what we are actually LIKE.

Then you have today’s youth. We have a little girl now and are paying more attention to the younger generation and if I hear the word ‘Like’ thrown randomly into the middle of a sentence one more time, my head is going to explode. It’s not just in conversation either. I’ve seen kids actually take the time to type it when they are texting:
“Cause like, if u type dis way, u can like, type LIKE at least 3 times”

What the heck does this have to do with High Brow Cat?

Well, when our little girl was born the questions started. Who does she look like? Who does she act like? What’s being a parent like?

And I thought… What IS she like? What’s she going to be like? What IS parenting going to be like?

She’s from me… of me. So, she’s already like me. I don’t want her to be a better me. I want her to be the best Sydney Maralena O’Brien that she can be.

If trainers of all of High Brow Cat’s sons and daughters wanted to make those sons and daughters like High Brow Cat, that would be fine. But, they don’t.

Trainers don’t want the progeny to be like High Brow Cat.

Trainers want the progeny to be like Sons and Daughters of High Brow Cat.

And each time one of his sons, or daughters, becomes a great Champion – High Brow Cat is further glorified.

For the moment, your heart is Facebook. What is on your list of ‘Likes’?

That list says more about us than we can possibly imagine. Our list tells the world who we are.

And if we strive to be a better version of ourselves, or strive to obtain a certain thing, or strive to reach a certain stature, or blah blah blah… that’s fine.

But we shouldn’t want that.

We should strive to be Sons and Daughters of Christ.

Then… maybe… we’ll reach our full potential.