Stretch Goals

From the Delta Enduring Tarot, the Nine of Oaks (Wands); from the Southernisms Oracle, 'Keep your head down and your tail up:'

          The nutria is a large, semiaquatic rodent. This mother is flashing her teeth and making nasty noises in order to prevent any interloper from bothering her babies. Feeding and protecting her young is a round-the-clock task, and her role can require a lot. Yet she is persistent; her instincts keep her moving even when she would like nothing more than to eat a big meal and sleep all day. This particular Southernism was often repeated by my father-in-law. Just as a tracking dog holds his nose to the ground and his tail up (a sign of confidence), this saying is an encouragement to continue doing the job at hand by staying focused, completing one task after another, without getting overwhelmed by how much there is to do. The intensity of our job or duty won't last forever, and when it's over, we can congratulate ourselves on a challenge surmounted.

Success is due to our stretching to the challenges of life. Failure comes when we shrink from them. ~John C. Maxwell