The Season's Magic....

"Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful." ~Norman Vincent Peale

Last night was the Christmas Party at the barn where I board River.  Even though it is Florida, the air was crisp and chilly, making the horses very energetic.  Christmas lights were hung everywhere.  There was good food, good friends, and the sounds of Christmas music.  I brought River up from the pasture to her stall.  She enjoyed everyone coming by and making over her.  As I walked back up to the barn in the dark after putting River back out in her pasture, I paused.  Standing on the path, I had a great view of all the Christmas lights.  I could hear the laughter,  the music, and the nearby sounds of the horses.  Looking up, it was a clear night with all the stars visible.  It was truly magical. Standing there, the beauty of the world truly filled me with awe and gratitude.  While the moment passed, the feeling has lingered.  I am going to strive to hold on to that feeling now and into the new year.

To you and yours, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy Holidays from River and me.  Wishing you magical moments!

Simple Gifts

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free

                   'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

                  'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,

                    To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed,

To turn, turn will be our delight,        

Till by turning, turning we come 'round right

~ "Simple Gifts" by Joseph Brackett

I have always loved the song, "Simple Gifts", an old Shaker hymn.  It is profound in its very simplicity. 

It seems especially appropriate as we enter into the Holiday Season with stores clamoring for our attention with great deals for gifts and the attendant pressure to buy the perfect gift for that special someone to remember that the "simple gifts" are  the best ones of all.

So, what are some great simple gifts?  Here are a few ideas to get you started:

- Volunteer at an animal shelter.  Shelter animals need love and attention -- and many times a person to help them regain their trust in humans.

- Teach others a special talent or skill you have (e.g. woodworking, crafts, amateur radio).  Sharing your time and passion inspires passion in others.

- Tutor a student.  You can change their academic future.

- Clean out your closet. Take those unworn clothes and unused toys and give them to your favorite charity's thrift shop or to a local women's shelter. It will make a world of different to those in need.

- Take meals to those that cannot leave their homes.  It will make a bright spot in your day and in theirs.

 Let's start the "Simple Gifts" movement. Add to the list and pass it on!

 

River -- one of the many special things I am thankful for.

                                        

Walk in my Shoe...

They say that to understand a person you need to walk a mile in their shoes.  For the past week, I have had just a taste of how those with physical limitations live their lives.  I have cracked a bone spur in my foot and am walking around in a "boot", facing the distinct possibility of foot surgery.  (And no, River, my equine coach, had no part in my foot issue!) While I am pretty mobile in this "boot", I have to give considerations into walking distance and weather (can't get the darn thing wet), not to mention the general navigating around with it. 

What has been a real eye opener is how people act in large stores when you have physical limitations.  In several trips to a local store, I have been almost run over as people rush around me or past me.  There is no consideration that they might hit by bum foot or knock me over.  I am a physical barrier to get past -- and mind you, I can walk pretty fast in this contraption!

This makes me think about others that have greater physical limitations than I -- and mine is just temporary.  They are surely facing many of the same issues in public places, and on a larger scale. If you are able bodied, you don't give a second thought about maneuvering in a parking lot or in a store around people and things.  To someone that has physical limitations, one has to be strategic with every outing taking into account so many things others take for granted:  Can I walk on my crutches from here to there?  Do I have enough room to translate from my car to my wheelchair?  Can my walker fit in that tight space?  Can I lift that jug of detergent while trying to stand with a cane?

On top of that, there are some whose physical limitations may not be apparent to the general bystander.  My Dad, for example, had kidney failure.  Due to that, he was limited in how far he could walk and had a handicapped sticker for his car.  Physical limitations don't necessarily mean that someone is walking with crutches or a cane.

I am not lamenting my condition, nor am I viewing those with physical limitations with pity.  I am, however, looking at how to be more considerate of others who brave and conquer the able-bodied world everyday.  Take a second to imagine all of those things you take for granted as an able-bodied person.  Now, look at others with new eyes.  Don't treat someone as an impediment to get around.  Enjoy the journey and those travelling with you -- even those of us who may be travelling in the slower lane. 

Body, Mind, and Soul

"Health is a complete harmony of the mind, body, and spirit.  When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open." ~ B.K.S. Iyengar

As River has some chronic health issues, keeping her healthy through proactive means is critical to keep the recurrence of her health issues at bay.  This involves ensuring she eats the proper diet, drinks enough water, has regular farrier and vet appointments, and gets exercise. It also requires a lot of observation on my part, since River can't tell me if she doesn't feel well.

Proactively managing one's own health is crucial not only to operating at peak performance physically, but emotionally and spiritually as well.  A lot of what I do for River, I need to be doing for me as well:  making healthier food choices, drinking lots of water, getting enough sleep and exercising.  River helps with the latter.  The care of a horse involves a lot of physical activity, but I have to be responsible for the former items -- easier said than done!

When the body is not feeling good, it is hard to be on your game mentally, much less in touch with the spiritual.  It is when the body is healthy and the mind is engaged that the larger universe and all the wonder it entails becomes truly visible to us, as B.K.S. Iyengar reminds us.

With the hectic pace of our lives, it is often hard to focus on our own health; but tending to our own physical, mental, and spiritual health makes us more available to do more things -- for ourselves and for others.  Tending to our health enhances the quality of our lives in multiple dimensions.

Today, I am committing to making healthier choices to benefit me, my family, my friends -- and my trusted equine coach, River.   How about you?

Light the Shadows

"Every act of evil unleashes a million acts of kindness. That is why shadows will never win while there is still light to shine." ~ Aaron Paquette

Sometimes it feels like the world is against us.  People conspire to take away our self-confidence and self-esteem.  We try to treat others as we would like to be treated only to be rebuffed or trod upon.  At the end of the day, we feel demoralized.  Is it worth the effort to live by the Golden Rule? Should we become one of those same people who have, at the end of the day, sapped our sense of self?

It is at those times when reaching out with an act of kindness fuels us to stay the course.  One small act -- a smile to a stranger -- makes us feel good and has a domino effect all around us.  It is the small acts of kindness that beget even larger acts of kindness -- like the waves spreading  in a pond when a pebble is thrown into the water.

The next time you feel that the world is against you -- practice kindness.  Practices kindness to people and to animals.  Practice kindness to light the shadows.  You will be the better for it, and so will those around you.

River and I wish you kindness and light.

Barn Time

Monday and I hit the ground running.  So much to do!  Work, home, family -- did I mention school is starting?!   Physically and mentally, I am pushed and rushed.  After a long day, I hop in the car and make the drive to the barn, making a mental checklist of everything I need to do at the there:  groom River, treat her hooves, exercise her.  I park my car at the barn, ready to sprint to get my "to do" list done. The barn, though, lives to its own schedule and I feel the topsy turvy "gotta do it now" world slipping away.  Time slows down.  My overactive brain slows down.  I can feel the tension in my muscles drain away.  Yes, I still have my "to do" list, but now it doesn't feel so onerous and rushed.

I walk down to River's pasture calling her name.  Her ears prick up and she takes a few steps in my direction.  We walk up the hill to the barn together.  Up in the barn, I groom her.  I talk to her as I brush out her mane.  Each time I come around by her face, I kiss her nose.  I think she would much prefer a treat to my kiss, but she tolerates it.  After her "spa" session, I walk her down the horse trails to give her and me some exercise.  No riding tonight, but a brisk walk through the woods is just what the doctor ordered.  River companionably walks by me, hoping to get a few morsels of prime grass as we walk. We come out from the trail near her pasture, where I put her back in to the happy calls of her fellow equine pasture-mate.  River ambles off to take a drink and I walk up the hill, feeling relaxed and happy.  My "to do" list at the barn was complete, but it never felt like work at all. 

As I start my Tuesday, I will try to remain in the bliss that ended my Monday and live in "barn time".

Integrity

Have the courage to say no.  Have the courage to face the truth.  Do the right thing because it is right.  These are the magic keys to living your life with integrity.  ~ W. Clement Stone

 

 

It seems like everywhere around us, we are seeing evidence of people living contrary to W. Clement Stone's quote: on the news, in the newspaper, via word of mouth, through personal experience  -- but then comes that one story of someone that defines the word "integrity" -- and we feel that maybe the world isn't such a bad place after all.

 

Living with integrity is an inherently human trait.  Integrity is not a characteristic that you can apply to another other species. Living with integrity can be hard to do.  It is hard to say no.  It is difficult to face the truth.  And doing the right thing is not always easy.  We are programmed to take the path of least resistance and that is what makes living with integrity hard, as it often takes us through more onerous paths.  Living with integrity may not make you popular, but at the end of the day it is its own reward knowing that you did the right thing.  And sometimes, -- just sometimes --you may just find out years later what an impact you made by living with integrity. That is a  moment when you realize that, though difficult, living with integrity changes lives beyond your own for the better.

 

May you take the more onerous path and live your life with integrity...