Acceptance

     Repeatedly the I-Ching tells me that modesty, gentleness, and acceptance are the some of the keys to staying in balance. Modesty I understand. I admit that gentleness is taking me a bit longer, particularly in reference to not being hard on myself. I am getting there. Acceptance…hmmm…this is a tough one. Being IN each moment; staying present with what is and not trying to aggressively change things; seeing the beauty and recognizing the lesson provided in every single moment…without resistance. Seriously, this is hard.
     Recently my days have been filled with fatigue and body aches. As usual, our animals, the wise sages that they are, gently remind me about true acceptance. These four leggeds and winged ones keep me moving, present, and sane. So I haul my tired self out to the barn several times each day and dole out carefully decided proportions of hay to each of our girls. In doing so, I notice Willow, our 28 year-old chestnut beauty, hobble over to her hay pile with sheer delight. She reminds me of a child tasting ice cream for the first time. Her eyes are lit up and her whole being is smiling, even though she is completely lame with arthritis in one hind leg, has Cushing’s Disease, and cataracts. Willow does not let these serious issues become larger than her love for her hay, fondness of her friends, or joy in her life. As she lowers her head and begins to sample the delicacy before her, she closes her eyes and truly tastes each bite. She has immersed herself in the moment of delight in her food. I crouch down. I watch. I listen to the melody of all the horses chewing. My heart swells and I become lost inside this moment, forgetting my own aches. Willow is a constant reminder to me that my own issues in my body do not have to be so loud all the time. The simple joys are always there and I can recognize and appreciate them more easily when I am in a state of acceptance. After all, joy is what it’s all about, isn’t it?