Now and then a blog takes off in a different direction than intended. This happened with the blog on Kentucky the other day. The blog was originally to be about this time of needing to be homebound for many around the world. As I often do, I decided to begin the blog by sharing a word image of how the easy, quiet rhythms of the horse here the Bluegrass has such an impact on our days...our lives. The next thing I knew my love for this unique Kentucky home where the horse is front and center took us all on a journey about this region.🤣
Think about it. We race about in our ever busier lives with work, family, friends, trying to do it all, to be all at such a rapid pace, many are reaching a place either at the end of their lives, or even much younger, realizing they haven't LIVED life. They haven't stopped their frantic pace long enough to appreciate, to explore, to know themselves, to know those around them, to know nature, to create, to laugh, to be inspired, to be at peace, or to love.
When we do not quiet ourselves, our soul cannot be at peace or grow. Many do not even know how to nurture or understand their inner self or stop long enough to try.
In a sense, all of my vast time spent in hospitals taught me well. Confined to a bed ones' options of what matters gets narrowed down drastically. So I kept a box packed specifically for hospital stays. In it were treasured books like those by Thoreau, Emerson...those who inspired me, photos of my horses, my boombox and a bunch of tapes I made of what I refer to as "my soaring music." The box also contained a sketchbook, drawing pencils, and oil pastels, so I could create if I felt able to, and often did. Staff and other patients would often gather outside my door just to listen to my music because it touched them too, and lifted them. I never went to a hospital without
my survival box. We all need an survival box for our inner selves whether we spend half our lives in hospitals or not.😃
As I have touched on here, during the intervals when I was not in hospitals, I would plunge back into my life and work like there was no tomorrow, because I never knew when I would be back in a hospital. Yet during those intervals of plunging, I was also with whichever horse I owned at the time, everyday, keeping centered with the gifts of nature which have always sustained me deeply. My life would be full and busy but centered.💫
Isn't it interesting, how the very devices that make our lives easier, and connect us to the world, are making people busier than ever, throwing people into the rapid pace I touched upon earlier? These very devices people escape into so one does not HAVE to know oneself?
Part of the reason why I became in demand as a speaker is I caught the attention of people long enough to enable them to look within and be inspired to live more deeply. If you're reading this blog you likely have discovered by now the sharing of my life, humor, horses, with you hopefully has the same effect. That hopefully those reading this feel better, become aware, laugh, and are inspired. At least I hope so.🙏
Amazing things happen when we become quiet and listen. Thoreau's time spent at Walden Pond pausing, has inspired thousands and still does. Spending anytime with nature does because nature is a great teacher.👏
Thoreau went to the woods because he wanted to seek and be taught...to live deeply...to suck out the marrow of life. And not discover when he came to the end of his life, he had not lived.
Nurture yourselves, and listen to nature, dear ones.💫
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