When I was little I used to spend time in Italy with my grandparents. I was a big trouble maker, so it’s hard to believe how anyone put up with me. If I have a child that tries to pull the stuff that I did growing up… I may go bonkers. I recall one time I climbed up a fig tree in front of my grandparents’ house and refused to come back down. My grandmother, who was frustrated I am sure, called over to one of the neighbors, “Bring the chainsaw to cut down the tree!” I heard the chainsaw start up at the neighbor’s house. (No, they were not going to really cut it down. They were trying to scare me down.) Well that worked really well. Not only did I not come down, but I climbed higher and sat in the tree for much longer. These are the types of antics my family put up with from me.

As a child, and pretty much all my life, I have always needed to be doing a lot of things all at once to keep myself occupied and focused (if that makes any sense).

Partially to occupy my time, I think, my grandparents purchased a baby goat. I know what you are thinking… “I wish I had a baby goat as a pet!” I was excited but had one issue. If you have ever lived on a farm or gone to a petting zoo you know what a goat smells like…it smells like goat. You don’t get rid of that smell… it just is what it is. Well I certainly couldn’t understand that. Why did he smell funny?

My curiosity usually got me into trouble…no exceptions here.  I have always questioned everything and took it upon myself to find and implement solutions to problem that I saw without asking if I could or if it was the best way.

One day I had gone out to play with the goat… I was too quiet, which usually meant I was getting into trouble. It was about that time for someone to go find out what trouble I had gotten into. I was found in the yard with an empty container of baby powder and a goat that now looked like a powdered donut. Every time he took a step a puff of white smoke would fill the air. I was caught red handed, but proud of what I had done. As far as I was concerned that smelly goat was all better now. Of course all I accomplished was make him smell like goat covered in baby powder. Everyone got a good laugh, but I learned that a goat smells like a goat and that can’t be changed even if you try to cover it up.

You can always try to mask reality, but you will almost always fail. People go through life trying to mask what they don’t understand. They try to mask themselves to conform to the views of the people around them. They try to cover up who they are or change people who are not like themselves. We often care too much about what people will think of what we say, what we do or who we are… or we are the ones forcing other people to care too much.

A goat is a goat and will always smell like a goat. Take it or leave it, but don’t try to cover it up.