I have to admit, I am an A type personality... It's to my own detriment really. I am goal oriented, hard working, and sometimes have zero patience with people who do not want to just get the job done. I work myself into the ground only to be forced to rest which in turn creates frustration and stress that I am getting behind. I think that most Americans are trained to be A type personalities. We work so hard to do well in school, pleasing our teachers, pleasing our parents, hoping to do everything perfectly. We want the outcome to always be perfect instead of knowing everything is a work in progress.
My darling Lily, a Paso Fino mare that is the most grounded horse I know has taught me a valuable lesson in being... Yes, being. The other morning I was on my way to the barn, walking like I was on a mission when I stopped to watch her. She was standing in the middle of her paddock listening to something. She stood there for quite a while and I mirrored her trying to figure out what it was she was listening to. I noticed there was a clearing in the woods just off the driveway where I could stand and get a better look at her. I went into the woods and heard my boots crunching the snow, the birds were also singing that morning. It was cloudy and looked as if it were about to snow. In April, snow, rain and all manner of precipitation can happen where I live. It's one of the things I love about living in lower Northern Michigan. I got to the clearing and just stood there. Since I walked through the woods above her paddock, she was now looking at me. She never moved from the middle of her paddock, standing as if she were glued to the ground as solid and beautiful as a Greek sculpture of a horse. She has a proud stance like most well bred Paso Finos do. I love how she actually looks like a mare, her head is feminine and small, her body shapely and beautiful. Lily has a long flowing mane, but not like the stallions do. Her tail is amazing and has blacks, browns, tans, reds, and creams in it. I watched her watch me. I breathed in the morning fresh air and stood. I stood there for almost five minutes and both of us never moved. It started to snow softly. The flakes floated down as if they were in slow motion. I closed my eyes and felt as grounded to the earth as Lily looked. I wanted to mimic her confidence in being, her wisdom, and calm. And I did. I opened my mind to who I actually am. A confident, smart, creative being who shows love for everything around her. I am. I will be. And I will continue to forest bath with my horses. Part of having that A type personality is continually untraining your mind that you are not enough, that you must do better. I appreciated the time to just be, to fully immerse myself in that moment with the help of this amazing equine. Thank you Lily.
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