The body, mind, spirit all must heal in order to continue on. I am much like others, who long to sit in that warm bath, those snuggly warm jammies to just pull my spirit deep down and sleep. Heal. Sleep is where I long to be. Like a bear that pulls herself into 'hibernation' or a time of sleep to burn the fuel stored for winter, prepare for the birth of her cubs, to draw back into that sleep as they contently nurse away waiting for Spring to come. I am the same. I sleep to heal, I sleep to burn away those things left over from the last year, to burn those fat calories (LOL) that I have gained in order to get me through the coldest of days caring for horses. I prepare for the 'new birth' of a New Year and tending to horses, the hearts of children, to create a new beginning. I draw back into the sleep to rest my mind to come alive in Spring with new, fresh and live ideas for Horse Feathers.

I pray each day that we can continue on with all the many things we want to achieve for the horses and the kids program. It has been heavy on my heart as I meet children who are lost, hurting, starving for love. The attention they seek, the kindest word. I see these things before me and I am wondering where all this is taking me on my journey. I see the same in the horses that pass here, that live here. How they 'seek' that love, that kindest word. The memory of Forrest the other day sticks with me. He, even being as crippled as he is, has earned his place in the herd. He would come to stand by me when someone older or larger would come to intimidate him, to lean into 'grammie' for that sense of protection. When I would walk away after it was all over he would stay at my side no matter where I went. When I stopped, he stopped. He would lean up into me and allow me to wrap my arms around his neck and just hold him. I can smell him. I can feel him. I also think he feels my heart as heavy as it was. To let 'mawmaw' know that he is there also. I wonder at him. Marvel at how he can get around like he does, plays with the other boys like he does and even runs like a bat in the wind when he wants.. The spirit of horses is something that I can not seem to find words for. Many have written books on the subject, some have swung from one end of the pendulum to the other on the insights of it. I, feel at a loss for words. To know them is to know ones self. The many aspects of us as humans, our ability to feel, to love, to nurture, to show kindness. 

What do you seek in your time of Bear? What part of you would you know by knowing a horse, a child? Where would your journey start this new year?

RT