Frank J. Buchman

Cowboy • Horseman • Writer

Extra Effort Now Pays Later

“It’s easier just not to.”

Life’s opportunities are often missed when we take the effortless way.

Numerous times, a chance in a lifetime has gone to the wayside, because it didn’t have to be done, and more exertion and cost would be involved.


One of our earliest recollections of this was in high school. Foreign language and chemistry were not required, and they sounded like too much work. It is was easier not to take them, and we didn’t.

Our dues were paid as we were forced to take and pass the much more difficult college courses. Yet, our lesson wasn’t learned .

In a hurry to make the “all mighty buck,” we cut our college career a semester short and missed the opportunity to be on the senior livestock judging team, due to our student teaching curriculum requirements.

That forever-regretted-decision was easier than to buck the system that wouldn’t allow one to do both in the same semester.

Or, we could have gone another five months of school, and forgone the income we thought so important then.

What’s money compared to a lost opportunity never to be seen again? Nothing, we’ve come to realize.

Providentially, we did participate on meats, dairy, wool and junior livestock teams, but we are sorry for not judging on the senior livestock team, which has far away the most significance.

However, when something does require extra effort, more than four decades later, we still sometimes sadly take the easier rather than the correct route.

Recently, our schedule was very busy, and despite having planned for a long time to participate in a parade, we decided against it because of all the “legitimate,” but really just easy, excuses.

Again last Thursday, we had so many conflicts that it what would have seemed a logical decision not to drive our carriage in a big rodeo parade. Fortunately, we did right this time.

We didn’t take the easy way out. It was worth every extra effort and cost. It’s a memory we’ll treasure with no regrets.

Reminds us of  Ecclesiastes 1:15: “The wayward can only be corrected with great difficulty.”

Moreover, necessary to recall Proverbs 21:11: “Some only learn the hard way, but the wise learn by listening.”

Thus, essential to follow Second Timothy 4:21: “Do hasten and try your best.”

+++ALLELUIA+++

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