Guest Post
My birthday started out like any other day except that I found a unexpected surprise awaiting me in the barn stall, beneath my apartment in the Indoor Arena—a cream colored newly born foal! MJ gave birth in the middle of the night two weeks ago and produced a beautiful baby girl, named Bailey, that now shares the same birthday as me. Who knew that a Dude ranch could produce such lovely surprises!
The other day I watched MJ and her baby prance out from their stall and run circles around the arena. Or rather, I watched the gangly little foal run circles around her mom and rear up on her hind legs playfully showing off for us. Talk about spirit! It was incredible to watch Bailey discover what her legs could do. To her it was the first day of the rest of her life and she was delighted to live it.
Then when I got down to her eye level she poked her nose in and out at me like I was the most curious thing she had ever smelled. Her actions invited me in. I got to brush her face and pet her soft darling nose as she continued to sniff me out.
I’ve never been around a baby foal before but it left an impression on me. I may be past my twenties but after watching that foal kick and run I realize I have not reached my limitations yet! I still have a spirit that can kick. And I still have skills and things I’m learning about myself that are like muscles I have yet to try out. So why not go out swinging fearlessly like the newborn did/ Or why not try out who I am all over again, testing what I can do, and how far I can run. I am reminded that there is thrill and adventure in self-discovery.
Many times we forget that the door to our seemingly caged in life is actually wide open. There is freedom there that we forget about, which gives us permission to try new things and get out from the boundaries of familiarity for a little adventure and self-discovery. The first day of the rest of our life happens everyday. So why not embrace our freedom and go out into it swinging and let the thrill of self-discovery once again paint our faces with childlike wonder!