A Blessed Life!
(As published in Today's Horse Magazine - Nov/Dec 2016)
Do you ever take a minute to stop and smell the roses as they say? I do. I honestly don’t know how I came by this trait, but I am so glad that I did. Perhaps it’s because not every bit of my life has been without thorns. Therefore, I never lose sight of the wonderful things around us no matter how small.
I am one of those people who jumps out of bed each day anxiously anticipating to see the sunrise. Some days it’s not grand or magnificent, but lots of days are filled with such splendor that it’s hard to describe. I feel like I’ve been given a priceless gift when I see the glow of the sun peaking above the horizon. It truly fills my soul to the brim! I find myself taking lots of sunrise and sunset pictures. I love to post them on my Facebook page, Instagram page, and Twitter feed for all to see. Not everyone gets to see such glorious sights. I love to share these gifts with the world.
Speaking of glorious sights, have you ever taken in the view between a horse’s ears? It’s one of my favorite things ever. I feel completely free while I am riding. It’s where I truly feel my happiest. I truly am blessed to have been born into a life that involves ranching, cattle, and horses. I was riding a horse before I could walk (with my parent’s help, of course) and I have always loved horses. This may sound strange to some, but I feel a sort of deeper understanding with them. When I was younger (and going through some tough adolescent times), I could always count on my horses to understand me. They always listened to me and somehow they talked back to me. Perhaps it wasn’t words they said to me, but their calmness helped me feel at ease. I felt understood. They never judged me and I felt among true friends always. I still feel that way. When life gets busy, stressed, or too fast all I have to do is go spend some time with my equine friends and all feels right in the world.
Ranch life isn’t for the faint of heart. I know all ranchers have faced a tough year. Cattle prices are basically half of what they were last year, while prices for fuel, feed, etc. have basically remained the same. The rainfall has been lower this past year for us also. Some folks might complain and some folks might even consider giving up. Not us. We are a hardy bunch. We have been here before. Times will get better. The glass is always half full. We are living the life of our dreams and continuing on our family’s tradition.
It’s that time of year when being thankful is brought to the forefront of our minds. I think if we look around we will see how important it is to be thankful for all of the blessings in our lives no matter how small…..not just this time of year, but every day. There is always something to be thankful for. When you really think about it, we live a blessed life. Here’s wishing you a happy holiday season. I hope you are all surrounded by family and friends and a feeling of gratitude that you share with others every single day.
