So while I was riding with two young women last week, we went past a long alley, and I looked down to the far end wistfully. “Wow, the gallops I’ve had here, the rides I’ve been on in this forest, especially with my girls, …. “. I turned to look at my companions, expecting I think to see looks of indulgence and maybe even pity on their faces. But no, their smiles were happy, they were sharing in my pleasure. Dare I say there was a hint of admiration.
There was a pause, then one of the girls said, “When I was a teenager, I would have loved to have ridden with my mum”.
And then I got it. Maturing gracefully is not about regrets for things we no longer feel up to. It’s about adapting, finding new pleasures and simply being grateful for ever having had the chance to do the other stuff, the more daring stuff, more dangerous even.
To celebrate this new found wisdom, I ended the ride with a lovely long canter, punctuated with a couple of jumps over fallen trees, yes!
38 comments
What a lovely post, and beautiful pictures!
I've never ridden a horse, but now I feel it would me amazing.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts with all of us.
Have a nice week!
Ana.
You are so right. It is not about regretting the past memories, but sweetly savoring them 🙂
You're a big fat bonus!
xoxo
That famous person who so wisely made the words about horse love so famous – is Ronald Reagan {truly a lover of horses}.
What a wonderful gift for you and your children, to share the love of the countryside with the dedicated friendship of your horses and with each other. You are blessed.
I am a horseless horseperson temporarily. Its funny you mentioned you love their smell because whenever I get near enough, I just nuzzle their neck and inhale! Ahhh. You are truly blessed to have horses. One of these days I'll join you!
First, beautiful photo's. Second, beautiful thoughts. I spent my entire childhood on a horse, in the country, enchanted by the bonds between the animals and their owners. What wonderful memories, thank you for letting them surface again………..
This is the most beautiful thing to read on this Monday morning! I share your love of horses, and doing it with my daughter. It is so secretly special, hard for others to understand, except you! You just can't script memories like that, and you will always have that special bond. Your pictures are amazing, and your writing so professional.. You are an inspiration to me.. ( and Im a lot older than you, so you're still a youngster to me!)
Enjoy.
Nancy
Powellbrowerhome.com
Such a lovely, thoughtful post to start the week. I'll keep it in mind as I adapt to where I'm at and make my way as gracefully through the week as I can. Gorgeous photos, too!
Happy Monday!
Sharon, Yours were the perfect words for me this morning, thank you.
beautiful post. I LOVE the smell of horses and barns too. I love to hear the squeak of leather saddles. 🙂
I'm happy for you that you're back in the saddle! Keep enjoying it 🙂
Dear Sharon,
Well, what a lovely, evocative post. In return, here's a poem (concerning Life&Aging;, memories and continued pleasures) which you should know. It was written by the American poet, Edna St. Vincent Millay…who, in her late fifties, was a thoroughly adult woman. I think it's very lovely, and apropos of your posting.:
"As sharp as in my childhood, still
Ecstasy shocks me fixed. The will
Cannot entice it, never could,
So never tries…
…Such marvels as, one time I feared
Might go and leave me unprepared
For hardship. But they never did.
They blaze before me still, as wild
And clear, as when I was a child.
They never went away at all.
I need not, though I do, recall
Such moments in my childhood, when
Wonder sprang out at me again,
And took me by the heels, and whirled
Me round and round above the world.
For wonder leaps upon me still,
And makes me dizzy, makes me ill,
But never frightened–for I know–
Not where–but in whose hands I go:
The lovely fingers of delight
Have hold of me and hold me tight."
(E.S.V. Millay, 1942.)
Thank you,
David Terry (who, in his own middle-age, particularly loves the last four lines of that poem)
http://www.davidterryart.com
You go girl I am so glad you are doing things you love…riding in that gorgeous setting would be heaven!
I hope you will come and see the feature I have on an amazing sculptor.
xoxo
Karena
Art by Karena
The 2012 Artist Series
Seeing the beauty in our life, surrounding ourselves with gratitude, and looking forward with optimism brings joy into every age. Thank you for sharing your beautiful life, joy and gratitude with me and other readers. Your photographic images are always stunningly gorgeous and your words uplifting. You've created a lovely blog; thanks to you!
Aging gracefully is an art that when embraced with open arms brings with it total honesty, new ideas and a love of what use to be.
Amazing images, really, really beautiful. Also, such an amazing sentiment. Your blog is always such an immense pleasure to read. You have such a rare and beautiful gift with words – always touching a chord, thank you.
What a sweet life…I am so glad you know it and share it with us!
What beautiful said!
Thanks for sharing with us.
Have a nice week!!
xxxPetra
How true – so wisely said! I'm finding that it's not as easy to lug around my 100-pound harp (with its 70-pound cart) as it used to be. I still do it, but it kind of…hurts…more afterward. So I've had to shuffle my budget a little bit to make sure there's a massage and chiropractor appointment after a big weekend of playing or after giving a concert. Because what's most important is taking care of ourselves so we can "get back on the horse" – right?
Lovely, lovely, lovely photos of riding through the valley.
Horses are such beautiful animals. In the past year I was able to photograph many up close and personal. I had been afraid of them until that time. Your photographs are wonderful as always.
V
Thank you for taking on the ride with you. So beautiful, the words as well as the photos.
Sharon, thank you for this reflection. There is much wisdom in what you had to say, and I wanted to tell you it touched me very much. I think often about my youth, and how so very many things are different to me now (my desires, my interests, my passions, my enthusiasms, etc). It's a wise idea to accept them all, embrace them as you say, and never lose your peace and joy.
Your beautiful post made me cry.
I have been really sick for almost a month and today found myself feeling slightly well enough to actually self pity – have been feeling blue for this bug, for the loss of a spring month of life, of getting older and not bouncing back fast, and your post was like a shot of "good stuff" right into my heart, soul and blood.
Thank you. You haven't a clue what you just did for me, Sharon. You got it right, lady. What I needed was/is an attitude adjustment,and you just gave me it and more.
Oh boy, this was very moving. Maybe it was the horses. Maybe I wish my that for my mom as she ages. I hope she continues her love for horses as you have; I know I will. There's nothing like seeing the world from the height of a horse.
BTW – that black pony is ADORABLE. What is he?
Bethany
http://www.PowellBrowerHome.com
Once again, your words hit home. As I have a birthday coming up and my body is closely approaching an age that I once thought of as old, I've thought a lot about 'aging gracefully'. I literally copied your last paragraph (hope you don't mind) and posted it on my mirror so I see it every day.
Thank you for your insight!
Kris of Cricket Acres Studio
This post and your breathtaking photos evoke pure pleasure! Thanks so much for your thoughtful words!
I almost did not read your post today as I am not a horse person(I was a ballet fanatic)and, in fact, really dread riding as I do it so poorly. BUT the sentiment applies to so much else in life; and David Terry's post with Edna St. Vincent Millay's poem brought tears to my eyes. I am facing an unpleasant operation on Thursday and it gave me such a boost. I plan to find a copy, print it and commit it to heart. Thank you Sharon and David.
I am so with you on this one Sharon and you my friend have some gorgeous horses.
XX
Debra~
Dear "anonymous",
I'm glad the poem is of genuine use to you. I'd omitted part of the first stanza to shorten the post, but here is the whole poem:
"As sharp as in my childhood, still
Ecstasy shocks me fixed. The will
Cannot entice it, never could,
So never tries. But from the wood
The wind will hurl the clashing sleet;
Or a small fawn with lovely feet,
Uncertain in its gait, will walk
Among the ferns, not breaking back
One frond, not bruising one fern black,
Into the clearing, and appraise
With mild, attracted, wondering gaze,
And lifted head unhurt and new,
This world that he was born into.
Such marvels as, one time, I feared
Might go, and leave me unprepared
For hardship. But they never did.
They blaze before me still, as wild
And clear, as when I was a child.
They never went away at all.
I need not, though I do, recall
Such moments in my childhood, when
Wonder sprang out at me again,
And took me by the heels, and whirled
Me round and round above the world.
For wonder leaps upon me still,
And makes me dizzy, makes me ill,
But never frightened – for I know –
Not where – but in whose hands I go:
The lovely fingers of Delight
Have hold of me and hold me tight."
quite sincerely,
david terry
http://www.davidterryart.com
Sharon,
Oui c'est magique d'être à cheval !
Céline.
I love seeing your gorgeous, green valley. I grew up on a horse farm and now live in the city, your photos make me miss riding. Such beauty in going out for a ride in the country. Thank you for sharing!
~Shanon
How very well spoken! I remember my days of riding horses, on adventures, and the smell…I will always treasure those memories. But like you said, there are new adventures just waiting to be had and enjoying them with my husband, children and grandchildren has been amazing! Thank you for the beautiful pictures and the beautiful thoughts that you have put in my mind, reminding me…
kim
Love this post.. and there's something about these magnificent creatures – their amazing structure and power. And then there's the BARN smell… 🙂 The countryside is so beautiful!
Love this post. Well said! I just turned 50 in March 23 and the birthday was fine with me. I know I am getting older, but the older I get the deeper appreciation I have for everyone and everything in my life.
Sharon,
Such a beautiful post, and just what I needed to read this morning. I've always welcomed every birthday, even 50, but I'm turning 60 this year and having a somewhat difficult time taking it was ease and grace.
Time for me to get back on a horse, literally and figuratively.
Thanks,
Kathy
Sharon, If we are blessed at all, time marches on and we age. But somehow, our minds don't change, and that's great. You're right, we do need to make adjustments, but we can stay young and fresh mentally and in our relationships with others. Thanks for the great pics and encouragement!
Nice thoughts on growing old gracefully. Beautiful photos, Sharon. xo Jenny
Although I read your wonderful blogs, this is the first time I have seen this. I have for the past 8 years been so sad because I haven't been able to ride again since a car accident. I have ridden since I was a child and now around the same age as yourself, I can relate to this and remember what I did and how wonderful it made me feel.. how lucky I have been.
Thank you, for reminding me.
Susan