While I was mowing with the tractor this morning, my mind was covering a lot of ground of its own. I started to contemplate some things that I will admit I hadn’t given a lot consideration to—at least not in a long time.
I have always considered all the work required to keep our little farm a nice place for humans and animals alike to be a labor of love. We have the best of all worlds here. On just 13 acres there is plenty of grazing for our horses (sometimes we grow hay, too), a small wooded area that is habitat for wild animals year round and a great place to connect with nature, a river that borders our back fence where we can fish whenever the mood strikes, and a lovely house, horse barn, and guesthouse.
For my husband and I, keeping after the mowing, weed eating, occasional fence repairs, tree trimming, and general upkeep of all the machinery and buildings is like a full time job crammed into our weekends. Plus, we have voluntarily added to our chores a large garden, and immense flowerbeds. With all of the responsibilities we have, it is easy to lose focus on some pretty important concepts.
The reason I left the suburbs 13 years ago was be able to give my daughter a life with horses. Now, all little girls seem to love horses but not every one is willing to get dirty and put in the work it takes to become a good rider.
Owning a horse is a big commitment; it requires a lot of time and money. I wanted to make sure that my daughter’s love of horses was not just a fad. When she was 7 years old, I found a riding instructor for her. I wanted her to have some of the same experiences that I had, so I found an instructor that taught English riding.
It wasn’t long before the instructor had her jumping jumps. Since I was taking lessons with her, we had yet another way in which to strengthen our bond. I hadn’t ridden in over 15 years, and I had almost as much fun as she did.
After a year of taking lessons, having several falls, and being sore and dirty she was even more in love with horses than before. So, we decided it was time to find a place where she could have a horse of her own.
I knew what kind of a place I wanted, and after looking at many small ranches, we found this one. I immediately fell in love with it; it had everything I wanted! I bought two horses; one for my daughter and one for me. Eventually, I added a lighted riding arena so she could practice riding at home.
It was a jam packed 10 years of riding lessons, Pony Club meetings and rallies, horse shows, and lots and lots of practice. I became her assistant and coach at home as her skills increased, as well as making sure that the fields were safe and comfortable to ride around. I’m not sure how I found the time to do it all.
Today, with all the gardening, my health coaching business, and trying to convince myself to have some down time, I have been feeling anxious and stressed. And then I go and add three little kittens to the house who need constant supervision; what was I thinking!
While I was mowing this morning, I began to reflect on all of this. My chores are still a labor of love, but I have been letting myself become focused on the wrong things.
On the eve of the anniversary of our nation’s birth it suddenly occurred to me really how blessed I am. I have been taking for granted that I am living in a place that meets all of my needs.
I have so much freedom here! I can own whatever animals I want to own. I can grow all my own food, if I choose. I have two great jobs, one of which I can do mostly from my home. I have a home that meets all of my needs. I have guns that I can use however I see fit to kill vermin on my property.
I live in great country that places very little restrictions on me. Just 240 years ago, the United States of America came into being by declaring its independence from England and any other country that wanted to claim us. That’s not very long ago considering that it took roughly 150 years after the first English settlers landed here looking for a better life than being under the King of England’s thumb until we declared ourselves a self-governing nation.
Our nation has seen a lot of change in those 240 years, so the fact that there seems to be unrest at the present shouldn’t be that shocking. From July 4th, 1776 when we declared our independence from England, it took 12 years to finish and ratify the Constitution; it took another 3 years before the Bill of Rights was signed. Up until 1959, the country was still growing; when Alaska and Hawaii officially became states.
The last 240 years are filled with wars and upheaval; growing pains, to say the least. But through it all, we have much to be proud of. Our nation has accomplished many positive things. Believe me, no country is free from any dark spot in their history.
I have so much to be grateful for. I am going to try to focus on all of my blessings tomorrow. I believe that if everyone counted their blessings and lived a life from the viewpoint of gratitude in which we all helped one another, that our nation will rise to the next amazing level.
Happy Birthday America!
Ecclesiastes 9:18 Better to have wisdom than weapons of war, but one sinner can destroy much that is good.
Thanks for sharing your wonderful experience with your horses. It is very important to have a close attachment with your pets. It will give you a positive holistic experience.