Who is Standing Guard? by RG Williams

Close your eyes and picture with me a busy open-air market in the heart of the former Incan Empire. Nearby, a semi-modern train stand waiting to take you on a four hour journey deep into the Andes Mountains. Boarding the train you notice descendants of the once great empire as well as travelers from all corners of the world. 

The train ambles along as the scenery begins to change. You leave the high mountain city of Cuzco around 12,000 feet above sea level and descend through the mountain valleys to 5,000 feet. The terrain has become very green and quite beautiful.

You notice small villages with children running along side waving to you. The train track follows the river Urubamba as it makes its way to the final distination.

After four long hours of the monotonous hum of the train you arrive at the station. As you disembark you are apporached by peddlers of all sizes and age. Making your way to the waiting bus you look toward the sky to the ever high and forbidding mountain that awaits. The bus ride is quite a thrill as you ascend, twisting and turning straight up from 5,000 feet at the river to 7,000 feet at the top.

Once at the top you stand in amazement at the sight in front of you. here the Inca Indians built a protected city for their people, a city that was so guarded that it is said that no outsiders were ever able to penetrate the walls. The interesting thing about the city of Macchu Picchu is the fact that it is only 7,000 feet above sea level. The protection came from its three sides of sheer terrain making it virtually impossible to conquer.

Now travel with me to another continent and picture a very large building shaped as a castle. Here this country's queen and her family reside. There are posted guards outside the gate where every four hours the changing of the guards takes place to keep them fresh and prepared. Once again a fortress was built to protect its people. Going east from this country we find dominating fortresses dotting the landscape. From castles in Ireland to those in the Austrian Alps and throughout Germany. One can only marvel at the sight of the Great Wall of China. 

The most interesting thing about fortresses is that there is only one way in for the outsider. Having only one entrance makes it a simpler task to protect. why would people and nations go to so much trouble to protect their leaders and their people? What is so important, so precious? It could be said that the fortresses were built by the stronger to rule and punish the weaker, or that a select few felt superior to others. 

I think there is more to it than that, I think that the people knew that they needed leadership and needed to protect that leadership. Let's bring it closer to home, don't we go out every day to provide for our families and ourselves? Don't we dedicate ourselves to building a fortress to protect our loved ones? We take the time to improve our education, to working harder for a promotion, to saving a portion of our income for the future. We look forward to the day when we can stop all the hard work and look out over our families and know that we built a strong fortress for them. That is our reason for spending as much time we need to earn as much income as possible.

However, there is a fortress that is not being guarded very well and most people don't even realize it. this unguarded fortress is our own minds. We live in a time when things are coming at us fast and furiously and from many different directions. So many people want things to change and even attempt to change things themselves. It is an interesting phenomenon that more people are beginning to understand - you cannot change things externally until you change things internally. You must look at yourself, at the words you use, the quiet thoughts you have, the expressions you show and how you react to situations.

You MUST STAND GUARD AT THE DOOR OF YOUR MIND! 

Over time I have been able to internalize those words. Of all the castles, fortresses and walls in the world there is nothing more critical or important than protecting and standing guard at the door of your mind.

Zig Zigler teaches us that you wouldn't let someone dump garbage in your front yard, so why would you ever let anyone dump their garbage in your mind! The greatest strength we have is to control what goes in our mind and what we allow to stay there. NOBODY can make you feel inferior, foolish or stupid unless you give them permission to do so! 

Why do we work so hard to build our fortresses on the outside to protect our loved ones and yet neglect our most precious treasure, allowing anyone to tarnish and destroy us?

Keep close watch and guard the door of your mind and remember, "Life is not a popularity contest" you must stay focused on your goals, dreams and desires!