More on Characters at the Park

All of last week there may have been Gremlins in the Woods but there was no sign of Sister A but that doesn't mean there were not other "characters" present in the park.

Keep in mind that when I use the term "characters" I use it in the loving way that authors relish their "characters." It is no way a disparaging remark about any of the personalities or people I meet. I truly enjoy the bumps into humanity that happen riding at this public park.

I just never know where life will take me next but it's bound to be some kind of adventure. That's what life needs to be, I think. It is when life gets mundane that boredom sets in. The joy life is supposed to be can get lost. I am always open for life's next adventure wherever that might take me. Whether it turns out to be a great adventure or something less positive I guess is up to me.

Several months ago after I went back to working horses at the park, I met a gentlemen while I was schooling Legs. He was a tall, thin man of middle age with the eyes of someone who has seen it all. I thought there was a weathered look to his skin and to his soul.

His demeanor was somehow apologetic. The way he carried himself spoke volumes. His words were humble and maybe even a little unsure. I felt an instant rapport with this man. I had lived that demeanor before my years of therapy. Feeling like I needed to apologize for breathing was an integral part of my life. I recognized it instantly.

I already knew at this time that the lawsuit was probably inevitable. I had noticed that Solidare was rapdily taking a down hill slide in her pregnancy. My stress level was going through the roof and the pressures of having all these young horses with no help was weighing heavily on my mind.

The man had been sitting up on the hill watching me ride for a while. I'm not really sure how we ended up in conversation but we did. In the course of our conversation the number of horses I own and the fact I am the one solely responsible for the training of all these horses became part of our discussion. It was then this man told me he had a 13 year old daughter who was enamored of all animals. He thought she would probably love to learn about horses from me.

As much as I need help, I am not in the position I can afford it so I relayed that information. The man didn't seem dissuaded and thought that the experience would be enough payment for his daughter to learn such a skill. The child is extremely dyslexic so struggles in school. Being able to learn something that she loved would be good for her and maybe even become a valuable life skill for her. He planned to speak with the child's mother and get back to me.

I must admit the prospect of an apprentice is appealing but it is also worrisome to me. I know myself well enough to know that I would feel obligated to "teach" as much as possible. When in this situation before, I have spent too much time teaching so my own work has been neglected. That's not something I can afford either so I was really on the fence about whether this was or wasn't a good idea.

Still a part of me couldn't help but think what a great thing this might be. Lots of scenarios ran through my head of how it could work out. Most of them were probably not realistic but thinking about it was at least some relief from the stress building in my life.

To be continued......................

Food for Thought

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