Time. It's like water from a faucet, isn't it? Sometimes it stands still and waits...no drips, no water running. It's just there, waiting for us. And then it may drip away, slowly filling the sink but only one measured drop at a time. Or it runs FAST! It flies away, swirling around and running down the drain, gone forever. If you try to catch it with your hands you might be able to hold some of it for just a few moments, but then it runs between your fingers, making a mess.
I'm hitting one of the big numbers this year. Sixty. I don't know why I'm paying attention to it. I've never cared one way or the other about the numbers before. I sailed through twenty. Thirty was a cinch. Forty? Blew it off. Too busy to worry about it. Fifty? I was so happy to survive forty nine, fifty was a true celebration for me! So why the worry about sixty?
I guess it's because I've discovered a new passion. For the first time ever I wish I could have a few of the years back. I love my horses...love what I'm doing with them that much! I have a new dream too. I would dearly love to be a certified Parelli Professional. Good teachers are needed so much in the horse world. Time, for maybe the only time in my life, may be an issue. You see, you have to put in the hours of dedicated practice to be able to teach other people and to do it well and safely. It's the "hours" part of that sentence that trips me up. But maybe I'm looking at the mountain on the horizon instead of looking at the path to get there.
I'm going to work harder at changing my perspective. Don't worry so much about the far goal. Let it wait. Spend my energy on the steps right in front of me. Break it down into a thousand Lego pieces and build from there. I can do that. I'm good with fine motor control, spatial concepts and visualizing. I'm going back to the steady drip...drip...drip, slow and easy. My faucet is no where ready to turn off.
Sixty? I'll think of it in terms that are smaller. Sixty seconds. Sixty minutes. Easy. I can do that one standing on my head, hands behind my back. Drop the burden of sixty years. Let it go and be...just be. ahhhhh...better. Much better.
Nothing like horses for making you honest, focused and for leveling the playing field. All they care about is now, not the past, not the future...now. Grain? Now. Grass? Now. Water? Now. Games? Now. Scratch the itchy places? Now. Stand together, breathing? Now.
Tiny Legos, tiny drips, tiny pieces and moments one at a time...NOW.
Principals, purpose and time are the tools of teaching. Always put the relationship first. Use the natural power of focus. Time. Yeah. I can do that.
I am, ever yours, Nancy...past the crisis and moving on, smiling and shaking my head (Always was good at multi tasking!)
7 comments:
I think it's awesome that you've found something you're passionate about! Keep on achieving!
Thank you Ryan. Means more to me than you know when you say that.
Now that we have the auxiliary track for future Professionals... it's an achievable goal, Nancy. I know you will be AWESOME!!!
Petra Christensen
Parelli 2Star Junior Instructor
Parelli Central
AND... I love your analogy about time and water... another AWESOME right then and there :-)
Petra...You give me such hope! Maybe anything really is possible.
Had three ladies come to watch me and Lucky play today...a first for us. When I dropped the rope (OK...totally fumbled it!), Lucky leaned over and popped the hat right off the top of my head and then plopped it back down again. It looked like it was planned.
At any rate, it made me laugh so much it broke up the tension for us and we did just fine after that. The ladies who were watching were completely charmed by Lucky (classic LBI!). We're going to try getting together with their horses over the next few weekends while I help them get started!
I have three more coming to visit tomorrow. One of them is a local small animal Vet and her assistant. It will be interesting to see how that goes. Maybe I will have a chance to tell them about the program Parelli has for teaching Vet's to work with horses.
I'll keep you posted!
Nancy, smiling because anything can happen!
Wow, Nancy, this is great news! Teri Sprague, 4Star Instructor, North of Denver is teaching the vet program at CSU.
I am excited to hear more about your new playgroup!
Petra
The group on Sunday was completely different from the one that came Saturday...not surprising at all!
The Vet who was here was really surprised at the way my horses behaved. She's used to horses that hide in the furthest corner of the paddock or who turn their backs when you go to get them from their stalls.
She peppered me with some pretty intense questions. I had answers for her though (good thing I read a lot and watch Parelli discs over and over!).
She is intrigued enough that she wants to come back to watch me some more. I'll tell her about the program at CSU with Teri Sprague then.
I start my new buddy group next Saturday. I've already met the horses they have. Very nice, very polite.
Can't wait to see where this goes!
Nancy, smiling in anticipation
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