Space and Time

When I last wrote, I spoke of a new horse at the Barn.  His name is Ray-Ray.  Ray-Ray and River have been getting along well.  They have stalls next to each other and River is smitten with the new "boy" in town.  Today, Ray-Ray and River were introduced into the same pasture (under close human supervision).  River coyly walked up next to Ray-Ray and started to eat grass.  Ray-Ray kept watching her with a close eye and proceeded to keep his distance.  River would advance and Ray-Ray would retreat.  This dynamic kept going, though River never pushed it.  Now I should mention that Ray-Ray towers over River -- Ray-Ray being part Warm Blood and part Thoroughbred;  River is barely above pony-size.  Finally, the two horses did touch noses and sniff each other.  Ray-Ray then went back to keeping his distance.  It was a successful first meeting.  No fussing or fighting.  No hard feelings.

In the human realm, this reminds me of the idea of personal space and getting to know a person on their terms, not ours.  In our face-paced world of deadlines and speed-dating, the idea of taking the time to get to know a person sometimes is forgotten.  River and Ray-Ray are a reminder to me to respect one other and our personal space and to take the time to know each other.