Dodging Cars

An old man with a walker, crossing the street.

Dodging Cars

“Sometimes it feels as if you’re driving in a race!” I said to myself as I changed lanes to get into a position to exit the 215 Freeway onto Union Park Avenue on my way to the office.  Traffic was heavy, even though it was a little late in the morning, about 9:45 am.  I made the turn, south on the off ramp and scooted onto south Union Park Avenue.  Then, I passed through two traffic lights and was just beginning to feel as if I was home-free when there was a commotion just in front of me, before I started up the hill toward Union Heights.

A young man, who looked to be in his early thirties, had parked his SUV on the side of the street.  I watched with growing interest as he began to dodge cars through three lanes of traffic in an attempt to reach the median.  I slowed, held my breath and allowed my eyes to track him as he went.  I worried.  I wondered.  I watched.  As he was about to reach the middle of the road I saw his true objective.

There was an old man just reaching the median, after traversing the three east side lanes of the street.  He was moving slowly, unsteadily in a walker! 

I watched as the younger man reached out, took someone’s grandfather gently by the arm and helped him step off of the raised concrete median.  Then he held out his other hand in a signaling manner to kindly as the on-coming, racing cars to slow and stop until they could walk together across the remaining asphalt to the safety of a sidewalk.  The whole scene made me smile into my rearview mirror.

“Sometimes it feels as if you’re driving in a race!” I said to myself as I continued up Union Park Avenue on my way to the office. 

“Sometimes it feels as if you’ve just seen the “Good Samaritan!” I replied to myself.

After witnessing one stranger proactively stop, in the middle of the morning commute, dodging cars, no-less, to provide for the safe passage of one in need, it seemed as if my car was floating on air.

A young man, who looked to be in his early thirties, had parked his SUV on the side of the street.  I watched with growing interest as he began to dodge cars through three lanes of traffic in an attempt to reach the median.  I slowed, held my breath and allowed my eyes to track him as he went.  I worried.  I wondered.  I watched.  As he was about to reach the middle of the road I saw his true objective.

His true objective was to help another, while reminding all of us that while it may seem as if we’re driving in a race, we’re still part of the human race.  One young man set a living example of a modern-day “Good Samaritan” to remind the rest of us that sometimes we need to do a little car dodging just to do a good thing.

Living in Cow-Time

Being surrounded by mule deer and steers on a cool winter’s evening.

Living in Cow-Time

Yes.  I was wearing my “Elmer Fudd” hat on this early winter evening.  I needed it to keep my ears warm while crunching through the snow to feed my steers.  The sun, long in the western part of the sky, was just beginning to scratch the tops of the Stansbury Mountain Range.  And, the indigenous wild life was beginning its feeding ritual right along with me.

The Mule deer, just up ahead of me, lifted their heads and twitched their ears as they heard the crunch of my boots through the snow.  I could tell they were a little nervous as their shifted their bodies in a way that would allow them to bolt away if necessary.  Their actions caused me to angle my approach just enough to allow them to enjoy a sense of calm.

When my steers heard my sounds, they too raised their heads.  Then they walked to toward their crib before they hesitated.  You see, sometimes they get a little nervous when their corral is invaded by the deer.  On this night, they were very cautious because of the more than thirty deer grazing near them.  So, I called out their names as I approached.  They stood still.

I walked forward, gathered six flakes of alfalfa hay from the barn, and threw it into the crib thinking they would follow their normal pattern of crashing forward to eat.  Still, they stood.  So, I walked toward them in friendly greeting.  They fidgeted nervously!  I stood still.

While standing, I remembered what an old cowman once said, “Cows have more time than cowboys, so cows always win.”

I decided to wait, to live in “cow-time.”  It was magical!

The air around me, the steers and the deer acted as if a low-pressure system had moved in.  The evening became still.  The deer put their heads down to graze and they sauntered around, just a few feet away from me, as if, they didn’t have a care in the world.  And the steers?

The steers lowered their heads a little, fluttered their ears and walked right up to greet me, after a short time.  I reached out and rubbed the tops of their heads, right where they like it.  They shook their heads up and down to show their delight.

Yes.  I was wearing my “Elmer Fudd” hat on this early winter evening as I scratched their heads.  I needed it to keep my ears warm while standing there with my steers.  The sun, long in the western part of the sky, was just beginning to scratch the tops of the Stansbury Mountain Range.  And, the indigenous wild life continued its feeding ritual right by my side.

The Mule deer, just a few steps from me, lowered their heads and twitched their ears as their anxiety faded away.  I could tell they were a comfortable as they shifted their bodies in a way that would allow them graze calmly.  Their actions caused me to angle my approach just enough to allow them to enjoy a sense of calm.

Now this old cowman says, “Cows have more time than cowboys, so cows always win, but if you stop and live in cow-time with them, something magical will happen in your life.”

Horse Sense

A miniature horse giving therapy to humans.

Horse Sense

The man looked great!  He was standing there, doing his best cowboy impression, right down to his newly purchased boots.  To those judging him from the outside, the way he looked, he was the real deal.  At least, right up until the miniature horse in the corral with the man, his wife and daughter walked up.

The horse headed straight for the man until his nose was at the human’s leg.  Then, the horse turned smartly, lifted his tail and dropped a load of dung right on top of those new boots!  That action brought the family’s first horse therapy session to an abrupt end.

Lest you think this was a coincidence, the same occurrence happened during the next two sessions.  And, that third session brought the desired therapeutic result.  The daughter in the family finally opened up to reveal that she was being abused by her father.  The horse had been right all along!

Horses have what some would call super powers when it comes to reading emotions and people.  I knew a little about this by growing up with horses in my family.  I was told that our “horses could sense my fear” and that the way I felt would impact my ride as well as my relationship with them.  But, I had no idea as to the extent of their true natural abilities.  Now, I know just how little I still know about these amazing creatures.

Horse therapy is now used globally to assist human individuals and families through difficult emotional and social issues and that has made me think really long and hard about the common term, “Horse Sense.”  Perhaps every one of us could benefit from having and using our own common sense and, when we’re lacking in that area, we could look to the “horse-source” for more.

Horses use more than their eyes to judge character.  The way a person’s apparel and the style in which they dress is meaningless to a horse.  A horse’s first impression of a person is felt.  They can read human energy and they know exactly who a person is on the inside as a result.  They rely on this instinct for the protection of themselves and their herd.  They teach us that what’s most important about other is who others are internally.

Horses stay away from those who, they sense, are not good on the inside.  In fact, they will become immediately agitated, turn their backs, buck and run away.  They know that the traits of those they associate with, rub off on them.

Horses know who to rub with.  A young girl who was grieving the loss of her parent walked into a horse therapy corral not knowing what to expect.  In a couple of quick-minutes she had the therapy-horse’s head resting on her shoulder, as the horse snuggled right up to her neck to offer comfort and support.  They know that physically showing love and comfort can lift those that are hurting the most.

Horses live with each other, comfortably, within the social rules of their herd.  They watch each other’s foals and correct the behavior of those that break with what’s good for the whole herd.  They know having a strong, cohesive society that protects their young, middle aged and aged members is essential to their survival and health.  They how to give space to all sizes, age and temperaments of horses.  They know that they must have food and range (homes) for their growing young, and they teach their foals how to be successful adults, so they can live successfully in the herd.

The man looked great, but his (herd) family life was a disaster!  He was standing there, doing his best cowboy impression, right down to his newly purchased boots.  To those judging him from the outside, the way he looked, he was a real dad.  At least, right up until the miniature horse in the corral with the man, his wife and daughter walked up.

The miniature horse headed straight for the man until his nose was at the human’s leg.  Then, the horse turned smartly, lifted his tail and dropped a load of dung right on top of those new boots!  That action brought the family’s first therapy session to an abrupt end.

In the end, it was horse sense that allowed the family to begin a healing process.  Now, and in the end, living with horse sense will allow you and me to give space to all sizes, age and temperaments of people.  After all, we know that all people must have food and homes, in which to live, so we can teach our children how to be successful adults, and live successfully in our growing herd.