Eww Gross!... Is That a Bug In Your Tooth?
Read More: Have you ever been on one of those road trips and you hit a stretch of road where your windshield just gets pulverized with bugs? I can't imagine what that's like on a motorcycle, but I sure know in a car it's pretty funky. And around these parts, that stretch of road IS everywhere you go.
See I live in the mountains of northern Wyoming and there's a few things you can spot to identify the real locals as sure as an elk will spook a quarter mile out before you even see him.
First, it's the classic cowboy and bucking bronc logo on a license plate; the symbol of our great state. The next identifier is just as synonymous but a little less obvious unless you know what you're looking at, and that's a cracked windshield. We're surrounded by national parks and wild life everywhere you look, so the department of transportation uses gravel in the winter to help with ice on the roads as opposed to salt, which is deadly for some of the wildlife. But that gravel is a killer on our windshields. You just aren't a local until you've got at least 2 or 3 spider cracks and a few craters in that pretty window of yours.
The next one, and the focus of this discussion is the infamous bug splattered windshield and grill.
I've actually driven through swarms of summer bugs so thick I thought they were gonna put a chip in the glass. It's a trippy sound doing 70, er um, I mean 55 through Antelope Flats and hearing these critters hit your window...
Splat, splat, plick, plick, plick, thud - splat - smoosh!
- © "Steve Bumbaugh" via Flickr
It's absolutely crazy. And the carnage left behind at times is just gross. Weird shades of green and orange goo smeared all over the glass. Bits of wings and legs and antennae. Ewwwwwww! And don't even think about hitting the wipers! Man, that just compounds the effect 10 fold. Now you've got some sort of bizarre Pollockesque montage that may bring back a flash back or two from a bad trip.
OK, maybe you haven't seen it that bad, but you get the picture right?
Now how many times have you had a dirty windshield and for some reason you just keep driving? Day after day. Maybe it just escapes you. Maybe you don't fully notice it. Maybe you're so busy going from one place to the next you don't have time to clean it. Maybe.... you just kind of got used to it.
But then one day out of the blue you stop at a gas station or maybe in the driveway, you bust out the glass cleaner and polish that sucker right up. Inside and out till it sparkles. Think about the view now. Picture in your mind what it's like when you do get around to cleaning it. How much clearer the road ahead looks. How much better the scenery looks. How much more pleasant and enjoyable the drive is. How vibrant all the colors are. Having that crystal clear view even makes traffic and the hustle and bustle of daily life a little more bearable. Dare I say, maybe even enjoyable.
Back to the road trip....
So there you are, over the winding hills and through the flats and fields, and then, there it is.
The sign responsible for many a weary travelers boisterous exclamations of relief in sight and many a bladder's silent joys...
Food - Gas - Lodging, Next 3 Exits. Yee Haw!
- © rockymountainroads.com
Man - once you pull over and get all those bugs off and get back on the road - POW! There it is.
That big blue beautiful sky. Majestic mountains. Shimmering silver lined clouds. The greenest trees you've ever seen. Sparkling rushing waters in the rivers and streams. Everything just looks, well, like a picture. It's perfect. And suddenly all these little details in your surroundings start to pop out at you. Things you just didn't pick up on, or worse, you couldn't even see because your view was so distorted and yucky that you couldn't even appreciate what was right in front of you.
- © "=eirescu Andreea" via deviantART
Let me ask you something. The same thing I asked myself while writing this...
How long has it been since you cleaned your windshield?
How long have you been driving through life with the dead remains of bad experiences distorting your view?
How long has the splattered goo of negativity hindered your ability to see the beauty and opportunity that is all around you?
Do you remember where it is you are going?
Do remember what that road is supposed to look like?
Do you even know where you are?
Us humans tend to harbor a lot of junk in our minds like a bad attitude, cynicism, negativity, anger, unforgiveness, disbelief, a low self image, low self esteem and many other "bugs" in our mindset that cloud our view of the road ahead.
Maybe it's time to pull over, take a breather, clean the windshield and get your VISION clear again.
I knew it was for me. Which I plan to do this weekend. I'm taking the Jeep up into the hills by the river to do a little soul searching to clear my head, refocus and to re-energize for the trip ahead.
Look around... Does your windshield need a good cleaning?
Maybe it's time to recharge and ignite a positive attitude.
Pay It Forward!
Please take what you will from this. Maybe you can find something useful.
Or maybe you know someone going through some tough times that may benefit from hearing the story.
Pass it on with love and hopefully we can all help create a brighter view of tomorrow for ourselves and others.
Live Long and Prosper.
~ Richard
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Comments: 24 
About the Author: Richard Bravo
Member Since: 02/26/2009
I'm a Distributor For:: Life Force International
Industry: Training and Development
Primary Web Site: http://www.RichardBravo.com
I can relate
We lived in the woods of East Texas for well over a decade, during which time our daughter attended a private school a few towns away. We were captive to each other (and millions of bugs) for a couple of hours every day, so we had lots of time to bond, listen to music or books on tape, and make unusual connections like the one you've made here. I agree with what you're saying, and think we should all remember to wash our windshields regularly. Oh, and for the record, yes... it can be ghastly on a motorcycle. :) Thanks for the post. ~Judy
Thanks for the feedback
Thanks for the feedback Judy. It's funny how life uses the weirdest things to bring us together isn't it? Held captive by bugs... that's one I haven't seen yet. We're usually held captive by sub zero weather in Wyoming. lol!
Thanks again for the comment. Cheers! ~ Richard
Ha! It's Texas, after
Ha! It's Texas, after all... we have mosquitos the size of pterodactyls here. In the summer we are often held captive by blistering heat and bugs.
Yes, it's funny and strange and wonderful how human beings are able to discover or invent magic in small or seemingly unimportant things.
You're most welcome for the feedback, and thank you again for the post. I'm reading everything I can get my hands on right now, trying to make sense of an industry I've just recently discovered. ~ Judy
In the words of Pink Floyd... "Is There Anybody - Out There?"
So did this gross people out too much?
Subject not interesting enough to discuss?
Any more thoughts on the subject?
Come on folks, let's see those comments - Engage!
Great analogy
Hi Richard,
Thanks for sharing -- that was a great analogy and you clearly have a knack for writing. I could visualize everything you described.
A little exercise I like to do to get myself going every morning is to say something nice to at least 3 people, whether it be a "thank you," or a "have a great day," or maybe I let them know that I liked what they wrote on their blog. It can be anything!
This puts into motion the law of reciprocity and it also gets me in a good mood because I'm focusing on the positive.
I think the one thing people seem to forget is that the "road" lasts a lifetime and we need to be patient and get to our destination "safely."
Gotta go now, I'm gonna have some breakfast with my father-in-law at a nice little restaurant in Mancos, Colorado!
--Derek
"Do you remember where it is
"Do you remember where it is you are going?
Do remember what that road is supposed to look like?
Do you even know where you are?"
It's an eye-opener for us people who are so busy being busy with our lives.
Refocus and reavaluate
You are correct that you have to refocus and recommit yourself to your goals sometimes. I find that sometimes I get tunnel vision and I keep on plowing away at my goals without looking up. The New Year tends to have people assessing and re assessing where they are in life. I think we should all look at our goals more than once a year. Great Article, Richard.
Awesome
Hey Richard,
The title caught my eye and I wondered as I was reading this what do bugs and windshields have to do with anything. Then, as I was drawn in further and further your explanation gave me an "aha" moment. I loved this article and can so relate.
Keep up the great writing and using every day events to make your points. Love it and most people will relate, as did I.
Well Done!
hi Richard
Very Nice article, great Pics Too! I have never been to Wyoming but it sure looks beautiful. I will make sure to bring a spare bottle of Windex
when I come to visit that state :).
Losing sight can cause trouble
Great soup for thought Richard. All of us need to clear away some of the "mental cobwebs" that have been blurring our "vision". Your article is especially needed when we start "spinning our wheels in the mud". So before we sink too low it's refreshing to put it in neutral, collect our thoughts and think about what it is we're trying to do. Like you said Richard, before you know it you're cruising down the highway enjoying the beauty of life again.
Fantastic
Yesterday i set some new goals and and reading this article this morning has helped even more to explain why i keep going off track. This week i had "pulled over cleaned my windscreen" and am off again. I just need to remember to do it more often.
I am going to print this out and have in front of me to remind me to do more often.
Fantastic
Reminds me of home, home on the range.....
I grew up in Ten Sleep Wyoming where my parents had a large cattle ranch, south of Ten Sleep, near the Upper No Wood river.
My 3 sisters and myself drove the 30 miles into Ten Sleep throughout our high school years and 1/3 of that road was dirt. So I can really relate to the broken and bug splattered windshields. Thanks for helping me to revisit the memories of my youth. Yes, we all need to clean our mental "windshields."
A book that is impacting my life in a very wonderful way is "Aspire" Discovering your purpose through the power of words, by Kevin Hall.
The first word that he reveals is an Indian word, Genshai (pronounced GEN-shy). It's profound meaning is that you should never treat another person in a manner that would make them feel small. That means yourself also.
RE: Eww Gross!... Is That a Bug In Your Tooth?
Do you remember where it is you are going?
Do remember what that road is supposed to look like?
Do you even know where you are?
Us humans tend to harbor a lot of junk in our minds like a bad attitude, cynicism, negativity, anger, unforgiveness, disbelief, a low self image, low self esteem and many other "bugs" in our mindset that cloud our view of the road ahead.
Richard this is very True, But these are not the only bugs blocking our way.
It so easy to get distracted from your Main goal. It may not be from a bad experience. Everyday we are confronted with things that will block us from our goals but they disguise themselves and thing That we need to get our Goals. But by the end of the day they spread us to thin.
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These are all distraction because they try to pull you in different directions and they get your windshield all messed up. Its kind of Like turning on the windshield wipers with all the bugs on the windshield, you think it is going to help but all it does is make it worse.
Yes, I know that all of the things I mentioned are great tools. But there has to be a method to learning them.
1. You Must know what your Main Goal is and do not get distracted from it.
2. Learn 1 thing at a Time and implement it before moving on to something Else. Do not lose focus on your main Goal.
Mike Dillard did a great interview, that was all over BN if someone has the link they could post. The biggest thing I got out of the Interview was.
Intense Focus over a LONG Period of TIME
Marty Baker
ScorePiano
keep going man, work harder than usual. hehehe
Thanks Richard
Hi Richard,
Thanks for posting this. It's something that I needed to read right now.
Terrie
Thank you...
Thank you everyone for sharing your insight and feedback. I'm glad you're able to draw something of value from the words on the page and relate them to something tangible in your own life.
Live Long & Prosper...
~Richard
You nicely painted that picture with words
Great writing, it's obviously a skill you harbor. It's an inherently human shortcoming that our "windshields" don't come standard with wipers and the cleaning process is learned. The vast majority don't ever bother learning how to clean or even discover that it is an attainable skill (to the utter frustration of many a reader here).
Keep the content coming, I greatly enjoyed it!
(Nice Vulcanesque greeting btw. LOL)
-Tiemen
building network business
building network business
Richard, What An Excellent Reminder.....
What an excellent reminder that we all need to recharge & refocus with a clear vision & purpose so that we stay on the right road and not take any detours that cost us lost time, $$ and efforts.
Since we are talking about trips a quote by Ben Sweetland comes to my mind "Success is a journey, not a destination."
Here is something that I use daily to keep me on track:
"The Slight Edge" philosophy...be Consistent in your Daily actions. Apply what you learn Every Day and always ask yourself: "Are the actions that I am taking today getting me closer to fulfilling my Dreams?"
Wishing You a Life Most people only Dream of..
Marty
Great analogy
I think everyone can relate to this--I certainly can--need to wash off the muck and get a clear view! Thanks! Lin
Yuck
Richard.
Ok, your little analogy did gross me out a bit for I could clearly invsion bugs splattering across my windsheild and hear the sounds they make when this occurs.
However, you did help me clear my windshield to help me re-focus on my goals in my business.
Thanks for the great article.
Yuck
Richard.
Ok, your little analogy did gross me out a bit for I could clearly invision bugs splattering across my windsheild and hear the sounds they make when this occurs.
However, you did help me clear my windshield to help me re-focus on my goals in my business.
Thanks for the great article.
Yuck
Richard.
Ok, your little analogy did gross me out a bit for I could clearly envision bugs splattering across my windshield and hear the sounds they make when this occurs.
However, you did help me clear my windshield to help me re-focus on my goals in my business.
Thanks for the great article.
Greate Job
The more i read, the more i want to read. Keep up the great work. You’ve got it going on. I Feel as though I am on a road. Tamara Mariea