Peace. Love. Boston.

Peace. Love. Boston.

A day after the bombings at the Boston Marathon, I feel sadness not only for the people affected, but for the nation as a whole.  I spent the drive to work crying as I listened to the reports of what happened at the finish line of what is, in essence, an international event.  My heart ached to hear about the loss and the pain that the people there were experiencing and I knew what today’s blog post would be about.

Obviously, it would be foolish to think that violence and suffering are unique to American tragedies.  In so many ways, we have it easier than nations gripped by unrest, war etc.  That being said, it seems more and more that we are seeing incidences of large scale violence grace the headlines of American media outlets.  Whatever your beliefs on the hows, the whys and the ways to counteract the trend, I think we can all agree that tragedies such as the explosions in Massachusetts are upsetting, to say the least.

Today, I saw this graphic and it resonated with me on a larger scale that just music.  To me, art is more that just the actual finished project. It represents so much that is beautiful and pleasant in the world.  When I thought about it in those terms. I felt that we could all benefit from a reminder to fill our days with love, hope and kindness, and to live more intensely, more beautifully and more devotedly than ever before.

Whatever your contribution to this world, do it with an open heart.  Use the light that you bring to this world and to the people around you as a way to combat the darkness, the sadness, the fear, the hate and the violence we all face.  It’s one world, we are one race and in the end, our journey through life will be marked by, more than anything, the legacy we leave behind.

To those affected by this tragedy: my condolences, thoughts, hope and prayers.  To those who stepped up in a moment of need to help the people around you: my gratitude.

Letting Go

Horse Hug

Sometimes your heart just knows.

There were a lot of reasons why adopting a horse at that point in my life was a bad idea. I was trying to find my way through a college class schedule and work three jobs. I would be setting myself back financially with the extra bills. And as horses go, Spot wasn’t “easy”. He was scared of everything, too big for his own good and stubborn as hell. When he wasn’t breaking things, he was running away, or kicking people, or (to mix things up) slamming them into walls. The farrier and vet visits were always an adventure, and trailering…? Forget it.

Oh…and did I mentioned he was only half-trained? The canter was interspersed with bucking, especially when he saw a whip of any sort…even if the rider wasn’t the one holding it.

Somehow, though, the idea of him walking out of my life was heart breaking.

Eleven years ago, while volunteering at Second Chance Ranch (a local horse rescue), I met and adopted Spot…and he changed my life. He taught me the meaning of patience. He blossomed as he aged, turning into a more confident version of himself. He became the “road block” on trail rides to keep the runaways in line. He gave lessons to beginners and helped teach children the joys of horsemanship. As he learned to trust, his personality shined through. He was challenging, playful and infinitely affectionate.

While he was never a “push button” horse, to me, he was perfect.

Yesterday Spot lost the battle with sinus cancer. As one person said, “now he is breathing easier, playing with his friends in horse heaven.” I’m so grateful for the time I had with him. He left some gigantic footprints in my heart and taught me so much about life, reliability and love. ❤