Jumping Through Hoops

 I went to a Circus when I was a kid.  There was this animal trainer that had some pretty big cats.  A few Lions, a couple Tigers, a Puma, and I remember he had a Polar Bear, and a Black Bear.  This guy was good with large pointy toothed critters.  Complete with oversized pith hat and baggy pants, his name was Sir Reginald, or something like that.  

Anyways Sir Reggy, would take out this oversized ring and have the cats jump through it.  I remember he even had a couple flaming rings in a row that he managed to get a couple Tigers through.  Now, that says something about his ability to calm the critters.  Big cats in general have an instinctual fear of fire.  They jumped through and he patted them on the head handing them tasty treats for prizes.  

Just like cats people are often seen jumping through hoops.  When we really want to get things done that are important we are made to jump through hoops.  But, instead of fiery hoops of pain, we have inky hoops of paperwork and verbal nonsense.  We get wrangled into all sorts of political sanctums and traps that only a quick whit and sharp tongue can get you out of.  As soon as you're out of the one trap another appears and you find yourself staring down a rather large hoop.  

I too have hoops.  My hoops come in all sorts of colors, and I've learned to "Skip to my Loo" through them.  A light footed approach is often the best.  Playing tippy toe with Hoops can entertain the masses and get you to where you're going, sometimes at your own expense.  However, if the game is played just right a little extra expense will bring bigger gains.  Maybe not.

Recently I've gone through a little expense that may bring some of those gains for my family and friends.  Bearing Fruit after a small amount of personal expense sometimes is all worth the price of the Hoop.

So, Sir Reginald and his Big Cats, and we and our Stuff, each with a Hoop to jump through.  How entertaining can we make it?

Peace and Balance,

John