True story:

“This is the gentlest one in the barn.”

My beautiful red haired sister assured me as I mounted the seemingly docile horse and prepared to pretend like I was a ranch worker and help gather up some cattle. Not long in the saddle, feeling a little confident, enjoying the scenery, “the gentlest one in the barn” decided to take me on a Wild West rodeo ride around the pasture.

I managed to hold on and not fall off long enough for my beautiful red haired sister to ride close enough to get the reins and force the raring and bucking creature to come to a stop. I jumped off and skirted out of the way and then my beautiful red haired sister took “the gentlest one in the barn” on one hell-of-a-ride.

Sometimes we enter a situation

Falsely believing we are safe

Then something happens

Life starts bucking like a wild horse

And even though

We are scared to death

We grab the saddle horn

Imagine we are fearless

Manage to hold on

Without falling off

And fate loves us for it

Sometimes we enter a situation

Knowing the risk

Facing the danger full on

We saddle-up

Ready for the bucking to start

Welcoming it

Fearless

And fate loves us for it

Fate loves the fearless

Regardless of whether

We knew

We had it in us or not

E.A. Fussell

11/01/2018