On A Misty Morning

Awakening slowly one day, Mort looked out his window. It was a misty day and the clouds were rolling in from the mountains. It looked like it might rain or even snow a little bit, it was that time of year. Early in the winter in a mountain community one can expect anything weather-wise. 

He looked out to the far pasture. He could just make out his horse out there. She looked a bit lonely. He was grateful that his brother had gotten up early to feed and take care of the horses, it was his turn that day - but she was looking right at him. 

He chuckled and he knew that he had to get up and go out and say hello, and while he was on his way he might just pick up a few carrots. Oh how she loves carrots. And so he got ready and in about 25 or 30 minutes he put on his jacket and he put on his galoshes and he grabbed a small bunch of carrots, 3 or 4, and took them out there. 

When he was walking towards her, oh she was excited. She was young but she was excited. She saw him. She was so happy to see him. They were really pals - and he gave her the carrots. 

She loved them but she wanted him to come inside the coral. It was a big coral so she could run around. He got inside. She jumped around a bit. She was really very youthful for a horse, personality-wise. 

She sidled up to him and he took off his galoshes because he knew they wouldn’t be comfortable to her and let his boots slip off inside. Took his socks off, course they were wet now. Hopped up on her back - no saddle, no blanket. That was their deal. 

Their arrangement was always that he would never put a saddle or a blanket on her and she’d ride around but today was the day. He and his brother had talked about it for a long time. Today was the day. She wanted to go out into the hills and run around and she wanted him with her. 

So his brother Zeke came over and opened the gate and she took off. He had to hang on to her neck real hard and bend over but he was hangin on for dear life and she ran through the opening and up into the hills. 

She had such good footing and she stopped before she went too long and she neighed very loud and there was echoes of it all around and about. It was a - a mystical experience. He had never heard anything like it. Oh he’d heard her whiney before, many times but nothing like this. It was a special sound. He didn’t know what it meant. 

And she took a few more steps towards the steep part of the hill and he was worried that she would just go up that steep part. But no - she stopped - and waited. And she was standing there. He didn’t know how long. 

It seemed like a long time and he didn’t know what to expect. All of a sudden, out of nowhere it seemed, there was a white horse there and he’d never seen that horse before. Didn’t see a brand on it - never seen that horse before. 

The white horse walked over and they touched. They sort of hugged in that way that horses do with their necks and heads touching each other and while that happened he felt this feeling go through his body. It was amazing. He suddenly felt complete and total peace and for lack of a better word, he thought to himself, harmony. 

All was well in that moment. He felt like this is the way the world is supposed to be, this kind of peace, this kind of harmony and after a long time or a few seconds - he wasn’t sure which because it seemed like eternity the white horse stood back and out of nowhere, he hadn’t seen this before, unfolded wings and flew up the steep part of the hill into the mist and was gone. 

He didn’t know what to think so he decided not to - and he was there on his horse. She bowed her head and he bowed his head and he said a prayer. He said, “I am asking that all those beings on the Earth who need help, love and support receive that help, love and support now from all those beings who can help them.” It felt like his horse was praying too, the way she looked down and that energy, that feeling was there so strong. 

And then, she was happy again. She jumped around a bit and he held on for dear life feeling happy. She trotted home into the coral. 

He slid off, picked up his boots and galoshes and wet socks but he turned around before he left the coral and he looked at her and she looked at him and wouldn’t you know - he didn’t know a horse could do this - she winked at him and he just smiled and laughed and she whinnied a bit and he walked back into the house feeling like a new man.

Happy Holidays to you all wherever you may be and whatever you may be doing.