As I look to my right, I see my comfortable, relaxing bed, filled with sheets and pillows and a good nights sleep. However, you can sleep when you are dead. This is the life and you only live it once. Thus, I look towards the left, and I don't see, but I hear the sound of a horse breathing softly. One's heart beats to the rhythmic sound of classical, country, or pop music. Yet whenever I hop onto my horse, my heart beats with his movement. My horses deserve the care of any human being. As a baby needs its mother for support, my horses wait for me to feed them and make sure they have the cleanest of all water to drink. I see my horses as fellow humans. They can be irritated, hungry, thirsty, and content. But either way, I live for them as they live for me.
A horseback rider speaks a language built of silence. The silence is golden as no one can understand the feeling of speaking with your body, and the feeling of your touch changing the atmosphere.
This language horseback riders speak is phenomenal. I can use just my heels and my horse can move sideways across the whole arena. How I position myself in the saddle, the horse can sense it; they can sense the tension, the nerves, and the pride.
However, life is like a box of chocolates. My chocolates are my horses, but each day brings something new. I never know what I am going to get when I get on that horse. As they say, horse back riding is one of the most dangerous sport in the world. It is one of the only sports that involves man having to put his trust into an animal with a mind of its own. Everyday, I put myself into risk of death, risk of permanent injury.
Days in this life can be as sweet as chocolate, however, they can blow like a grenade in mere seconds. Therefore, never take life for granted. You will reach these times of frustration and anger. With my horses, I must remember that my punishment is unknown to them. They don't have the brain to understand the things done wrong. So therefore, continue to love even when you want to blow up. Because you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar. "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are gonna get." -Stewie Griffin, Family Guy
I'm not surprised this blog starts with a longing look at your bed-- I know you must have been up late finishing this, so props for hanging on just a few minutes longer! :) What's interesting about this blog is your observation of the "sun side" and the shadow side" of your experiences. Your passion for horse-riding is clear, but you also acknowledge the danger. You want to go to bed, but there are "miles to go before [you] sleep," as Robert Frost would say. And life can be both chocolatey and grenadey-- yipe; we can reach for honey or vinegar.
ReplyDeleteIt's important to understand that complexity in everything-- not just literature, but also life. I'll be asking you all to identify the elements of both sides-- the shadow and the sunshine-- again and again this year as we read about complex characters and complex problems. Thanks for staying up late to get this done, and giving us a glimpse into the world you enter when you ride. Also, if you haven't ever seen Forrest Gump, you should check it out-- I think that's where the "life is like a box of chocolates" originated, although I'm sure Stewie put it just as profoundly as Tom Hanks. :)
15/15
Ive only truly ridden a horse once and that was this last summer up near lake chelan. But even though ive only ridden once, I can definitely tell what you mean by having a language. Even though the horse is not my own I could still tell that we were connected. It was an exhilarating feeling and realization to know that we worked together.
ReplyDeleteThis analogy really shows a deep part of who you are. You are an equestrian. That is who, I hope, you will always be. You love it even though there are risks. I know you didnt know how to write this analogy but i think it turned out well and it really shows who you are and how you write.