When I wake up I often find a slew of emails waiting for me. The second saddest ones that I ever get are from people who have been horribly banged around by life. Those notes generally give a brief, matter-of-fact summary of a life spent in Hell. Sometimes they go on to say that there were times that they were able to get away from the pain by going to a relative's farm or visiting a neighbor's horse. More and more they mention having heard about Ashley Edwards and her experience with the horses. The notes come from those who know what an IED sounds like, what burning flesh smells like, what the hand of an abuser feels like, or what that unyielding bitterness and burning in the throat tastes like.
The notes at times mention a vague, desperate hope that working a horse can help make those memories manageable. They are looking for someone, or something, that understands. When they see pictures like this one of Ashley and Stitch and look at the eyes of the person and the horse, they see understanding.
They often realize that the door to get out of the cage that they are in is the door to a round pen.
Those are not the saddest emails that I get.
The saddest ones set out the kind of pain that I have mentioned above and then go on to tell me that there is not any horse facility that can give them what they need anywhere in their region. They tell me how much they wished that they lived closer to us.
They tell me that they know there is a door to get out but that they have no way to reach the knob.
Those are the saddest emails that I get.
If God has allowed you to have a horse He has given you the power, and the obligation, to improve the lives of some people. If God has given you several horses then He has given you the power, and the obligation, to improve the lives of even more people.
If God has allowed you to have a riding and instruction program, with a score of horses at your disposal, He has given you the power, and the obligation, to begin to change the world.
Get up and get moving. It is time to get some work done.
1 comment:
Thanks for this one, Steve. We are 2/3 the way through our foster care home study. I keep thinking about you and all that we have talked about through the years as we go through our training. Thank you for all you do for our children. XO
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