During our recent trip across Australia Jane and I were privileged to see some pretty special wildlife. One event however sticks in my mind.
As we chugged steadily down a long dusty track we both spotted a lizard, that was ambling steadily right to left, but straight in front of us. I slowed the bike and steered to the right, giving him plenty of room. He stopped, reared up and appeared to be roaring at us.
Instinctively this little creature ignored the obvious size difference, he appeared to be oblivious to the imminent danger from 500 kilos of Russian Steel and Australian Luggage. Our presence had interrupted his progress. He stood his ground and seemed prepared to go toe to toe with us. As we passed him I swear he tried to bite a chunk out of the sidecar.
Before I go on, I am not suggesting for one minute that you go and stand in the middle of the highway and lock horns with Road Train. However I think there is real merit in looking more closely at this approach in the context of some of the larger challenges we face. Its incredibly easy to continue on our way and give a large, ugly, and fast moving threat a wide berth. Standing our ground is a riskier approach, but as Nietzsche suggested “The secret of realizing the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment of existence is: to live dangerously! Build your cities on the slopes of Vesuvius!”
Depression started me on this journey and I don’t intend to let the current dark depression rob me of the chance to reach the destination. Time to stare down the Black Dog.
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