My Shetland stallion Trigger learning to “pose” for the county fair. Notice him biting my shirt!
New Years Eve is here and the Christmas Holiday is past. Time to clear the decks for another wonderful year.
It’s funny how, even with all the crazy and often extremely difficult experiences in my life, I always feel somewhat like a princess, spoiled with love by the Great Everything. Maybe being brought up by loving parents who praised us kids and seldom criticized has something to do with my perspective.
In my senior year high school social studies class I learned that our family income fell within the “poverty” level in the USA at the time. I was shocked because we always had what we needed: food, clothes, a place to live, and even luxuries like TV’s, stereos, etc. I guess the fact that most of the things we furnished our home with, and clothed our bodies with (unless we sewed them ourselves), and drove around in, were from garage sales or inexpensive secondhand, which allowed us to have many things we couldn’t otherwise have had.
Sure there were things we did without, like expensive family vacations to Disneyland or Hawaii, or being able to own some of the big beautiful horses I used to dream about (I was a horse loving girl from the age of 2!). However, I did get to buy a Shetland pony when I was twelve, which I paid for with my babysitting money, then later a Morgan/Welsh yearling filly. also with my babysitting money. My dad, who is an extremely gregarious person, found those deals for me through people he knew, and also free places within a block or two from home to keep my pets while I had them. I believe allowing me that luxury and responsibility as a young person was probably one of the best things my parents did for me, aside from being kind and good to us children.
Now, at fifty-nine I am in the second half of my life (unless of course I live to be 120 which I think would be cool). Most of my nine children have grown and have families of their own. I am so grateful for everything in my life, past and present, the good and the bad, because I have learned so much from each and every experience. I am grateful for the ability to choose, to make mistakes, to be able to listen to those who have more wisdom and make to better choices. I am grateful for that still small voice that I’ve learned to try to listen to, which guides me for good and helps me avoid pitfalls and frustration.
I am looking forward to this new year with hope and joy. I am on an upswing and that feels great! I hope everyone has a new year filled with joy and love and experiences that bring us all closer to wisdom, love, and peace.
Happy New Year everyone!
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