October 16th

Tuesday, October 16th, 2018

Animals have such healing powers. Especially large animals.

I don’t know why I always seem to forget that.

I assisted Shelley at what has turned into our annual fall photoshoot with Ames Percherons this afternoon, and those gentle giants just never cease to captivate me.

When you simply stand in their presence, it allows your mind to quiet and empty; their demeanor and spirit gently invades your senses, pulling out all anxieties. You smile easier, breathe easier, feel the peace fill your heart.

Maybe it’s because they are true examples of God’s creation. They thunder when they move, literally shake the ground, but it only takes two human hands to bring them all to a stop again. Power and grace. To look at an animal so large, yet so unimposing. To be so close to danger, but feel so safe.

It’s such a spiritual experience, there’s just nothing else like it. You can ask any horse person and they’ll agree – drafts are in a league of their own. Even the UPS guy drove down the road, turned back around, and stopped to watch.

They just draw you in.

Even the deer aren’t alarmed by them. We had just returned to the barn after the team thundered all over that hill the deer are standing on, but the deer act as if they were never there. It’s like they were hanging out in the trees, enjoying the show, and walked out to eat their clover as we left.

I’ve been feeling smothered by my anxiety lately, which isn’t uncommon for this time of year (goodbye long, sunny days), but knowing that doesn’t make it any easier to hit that fall wall. But it’s amazing how God placed this afternoon on my schedule knowing exactly what I needed. My neck pain has subsided, my headache from earlier today is gone, my appetite is back, and I’m ready for tomorrow.

Heeeyo let’s do this!