Thanksgiving

October was a busy, crazy month for me. I turned seventy, had eye surgery, and my horse got very sick (and recovered). I am entering a new decade in a highly charged world. I am thinking about the relationships I have now and the ones I had in my past, how they have influenced and shaped the path I have chosen. That path has been the same for as long as I remember: loving horses and sharing their love with others. I hope to devote this decade to working more with horses and kids and connecting with other resources to make it a special experience for the rider.

When November comes, Thanksgiving is a holiday many of us share among family and friends. I began by asking the question, “Who do you not want to invite to your Thanksgiving table? Has there ever been a Thanksgiving disaster? The turkey was dry, the pie was burned, the oven didn’t work, the electricity went out, there was a big family meltdown?” The funny part is nobody wanted to talk about a negative experience! Thanksgiving had too many good memories. So I selected a few interviews to post about this holiday and then I would like to share a poem I wrote about aging. Whether you are 15 or 80, your body, mind and heart work together year after year to recreate you over and over.

Tyler
I like to call it friends-giving or leftover Thanksgiving. Every Thanksgiving my family would rent out a beach house on Anna Marie Island, outside of Tampa, Florida, on the gulf coast. It was almost to the Panhandle. We ate a traditional Thanksgiving meal with green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, etc. We would play Bocce ball. The exciting part was the sea turtles were laying their eggs then. Big mama sea turtles you could ride. I rode a sea turtle into the ocean. My grandpa would harvest the eggs and make mayonnaise.

Kai
I would not like to not invite anyone because it’s a good platform for balance and goodness and the joy of family and sharing. Then what would you be giving thanks for? When we were little kids, we would visit family friends in Oregon. We rode around on motorbikes and motorcycles. They had a little farm. We only got to see them now and then.

Dawn
Many Thanksgivings I went to my in-laws house in Sacramento, California. My favorite thing to do there was sneak the candies from the plates that my grandma had scattered around the house. We would hide the wrappers all over the house in the cushions. I loved the smell of her street, with the fresh fruit and flowers. There was an intoxicating vine flower. I also loved going in her bathroom with all her make-up and opening up the drawers. It was fun being with my uncle Hank who would throw us all around. I really love pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

Marta
I was going to share a poem with you but have decided instead to share a story about my horse, Matty and I. Matty is about 20 years old and has always been healthy. She got very ill last week and developed colic. At one point during the day I thought she was dying. I kept walking with her, massaging her belly and back for hours. I lay down in the grass with her and tried to anticipate her needs and act accordingly. We got really close with each other day after day. She trusted me to help her and I took care of her body. It was very stressful trusting my intuition in giving her the right care. She pulled through and is doing fine now.

I had eye surgery last week and I was scared. When I was in the operating room, I needed to visualize a safe, comforting place to calm myself down and stop crying. Guess who came to my mind immediately? Matty came and called me to lay my hand along her neck and walk with her. It was so endearing, I was deeply touched. This was all in an altered state and I was instantly calmed down. It was a heart to heart connection. It had a profound affect on me and has altered my relationship with my beloved horse. I was able to get through the surgery calmly because of my horse’s presence. This Thanksgiving I am forever thankful and grateful for the people and animals that touch my life and help support me. Thank you! Happy Thanksgiving to all!

CB
When I was a child, we used to spend Thanksgiving with my paternal grandparents. After they passed, one of my uncles continued the tradition. After dinner the adults would sit around and tell the funniest jokes. Once, in my late teens, I thought it would be a good idea to take some LSD before the annual gathering. Needless to say, I didn’t eat much, but the jokes were so funny that when I went to bed, I stayed awake almost all night reliving them.