Others say it is belief, something intangible and impossible …
But if you will listen and look with more than your eyes, I believe that you can find the Magic in the Moments….
When a quiet, young girl smiles and beams with confidence at the joy of finally inspiring Elvis, our spunky Thoroughbred with his mischievous playfulness, to listen to her voice, body posture, and instruction on how to finally trot in the arena…
When a boy finally finds a safe place where he can relax away from the pressures of societal norms which are oKen confusing, anxiety-producing, and exhausting. A place that is his place…
When a mother is overwhelmed at the things she sees her child doing for the first time…playing in the dirt, walking into the smelly barn, sweeping up the muck of the horse stalls, petting and then riding Balaam the donkey, being sIll and calm for a brief moment long enough to listen to the sounds of the spider….playing with a peer and then comforting the peer about a tough day, showing that they have been there too.
When a father also finds a safe place …as he sees how his child has been loved and welcomed, embraced and accepted just as he is…unexpectedly shedding a tear in a moment of gratitude.
When a group of young people works together, as they accomplish the myriad of tasks involved in barn life, practicing self-advocacy, leadership, and initiative, as they tenderly care for the animals’ needs, adjusting to a few bumps and more than a few laughs along the way.
When a child learns from Captain, our blind Appaloosa horse, how they too can be brave…persevere through the hard things, sIll be loved and valued even when they look and feel different from the herd.
It is as we learn from the animals in the Happy Herd, as they touch our family’s lives, feeling like we are witnessing the beauty of a healing relationship, as they unlock the unique potential inside of us too.
When you look with your heart, you will see the Magic in the Moments that happen every week
