When Bison Make You Feel Like a Baby

Have you ever been to the ocean just to stand in front of it and let it breathe on you? If you haven't, I highly suggest it sometime. Sure, if you're going to the ocean, definitely go swimming, play, tan and do more than just stand in front of it, but at least take a moment to stand in front of it, look out upon it's vastness and let its breeze breathe the fresh salt air on your face for a few minutes. It will make you feel smaller than the grains of sand you're standing on. 

There is something to be said for sitting in the presence of something greater than yourself. It's a small feeling, a humbling feeling and honestly, a feeling of reverent fear. This looks different for a lot of people. Some people feel small next to mountains, others oceans and for some, even trees do the trick; however, for me, lately it's been beasts. I'm not sure if you've ever thought about it before or not, but there are a lot of things out there that can kill or seriously maim a defenseless human being. There aren't just lions, tigers and bears out there, there's more- Like hippos, snakes and even insects can do some damage. However, today, I spent some time in the presence of something just as dangerous as any other animal roaming the earth that might make your knees shake: the American Bison.

This afternoon, I took a trip over to Osage County in the Northern part of Oklahoma to the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve. It's there that over 2,000 American Bison call home. There were herds and herds of them around every curve of the gravel road throughout the state park, and it provided me with just the right dosage of 'feeling small' that I needed.

There's just something so cool to me about sitting and watching pieces of creation that could tear me limb from limb just do their thing. I literally did nothing but watch and photograph buffalo for three hours, and not once was I bored. I was in awe, entertained and humbled all afternoon. At one point, my truck was completely surrounded by at least 20 buffalo for about five minutes, leaving me unable to go anywhere; the last thing I wanted to do was honk my horn and make one mad. I don't think my car insurance covers buffalo damage, so I just had to sit and wait in the middle of what I felt like was a circle of beasts that could easily have their way with my F-150 and myself if they wanted to. It was awesome.

If you never have, I would encourage you to intentionally go sit in the presence of something greater than yourself. Go to the zoo and watch the lions eat, go to the mountains and stand at the base of them or go to the ocean and let it's breeze blow you away. Whatever it might be that would make you feel small, humble and defenseless, take a trip to see it; it will remind you Who your Creator is.

-Cliff

Cliff's Note: Creation is a great reminder that you are not greater than the Creator. 

Why Being Humbled is Like Being a Nobody

It's funny how small you feel when nobody knows who you are. ​

You may have experienced this feeling if you've traveled to another state or another country by yourself. Heck, you may have experienced it your first day of college walking into a classroom with no one you knew in it. It's this awkward, humbling feeling of, "wow, I'm literally a nobody."​

I experience this feeling the first time I moved out of state after college. I moved to Seattle, WA from Stillwater, Okla. In Stillwater, people knew me. I was a successful college student who knew a lot of people on campus, in church and in the community. I'd established a reputation, if you will. However, as soon as I moved to Seattle, I was a nobody. No one knew who I was, no one knew who 'Pistol Pete' was, and hardly anyone even knew where Oklahoma was. Talk about a humbling moment when your fun fact is, "I used to be Pistol Pete," and the person looks at you like you're crazy and asks who that even is. ​

It was even worse when I moved across the big pond. People thought the idea of anyone carrying a gun, much less a mascot, was a crazy idea. People had no idea who I was, where I was coming from and could hardly believe I'd never been to our nations capital because, "doesn't everyone have to go there?" There's nothing that makes you feel small like moving away from home. ​

Feeling small and moving away from home have their perks though. It's like you get a clean slate. People don't know you, so you kinda get to start over. I'm not talking about in a way that you should change who you are, but more along the lines of the opposite. You're in a place where you don't have to try to be someone you're not anymore. You're in a place where you can truly be you (hopefully you're already truly being you, but if you're not, it's a fresh start). 

There's also something about needing to be humbled. I think it's something we all need to experience- I sure did. I was up on my high horse thinking I was all that and a bag of cow chips when suddenly, I was no one. I needed that. I needed to be reminded that the world is big, I'm small, and I'm only here for a short period of time in a small place ​in a big world. 

Sometimes God humbles you Himself, and sometimes He has His creation do it for him. 

-Cliff​

Cliff's Note: The world is big. You're small. Be humble. ​