This past week we had a young girl Everleigh come to our farm to watch Megan trick ride and to ride one of our horses.
The look of excitement and joy on Everleigh’s face as Megan came out of the saddle and laid on the side of the horse with her arm stretched out to Aramis’ nose made my heart soar.
Everleigh then had a chance to try it, and though a bit apprehensive at first, the look of happiness and joy, especially as she stood with her hands high in the air, feeling free and powerful, was awesome to see.
This was extra special for us because Everleigh is 8 years old and is usually attached to an oxygen tank because she needs a double lung transplant.
Everleigh and her mom will be moving to a hospital in Toronto at the end of the summer to await the transplant. Currently, there is great fear that this transplant may not happen.
Faith is being certain of what we hope for and sure of what we cannot see …
As I held the lungeline (the line that connected the horse to me) while Everleigh rode, a butterfly alighted on my chest. It didn’t just stay for a moment, it stayed the whole time Everleigh rode.
It even stayed so long I was able to pause and show her parents this messenger of hope that clung to me.
Yet this butterfly was not always quite so beautiful with colourful wings and an ability to fly. Initially this butterfly was a lowly caterpillar that crawled on the ground.
I’m sure as a caterpillar, he would have had no hope that it would one day fly. It didn’t even have wings! Everything that we can see denies that the caterpillar would one day be a beautiful butterfly.
Yet through a miracle placed within, the lowly caterpillar becomes a grand and glorious butterfly.
For I know the Plans I have for you…
Plans to Prosper you; to give you hope and a life
We do not know what tomorrow will bring. The best laid plans can go astray, as it did for me with my accident.
Yet we can either believe in miracles or we can deny that miracles happen.
We can cling to hope or we can despair.
I choose to believe that hope is an innate human quality that we all have and can tap into.
Yes, life throws us terrible situations that create storms, chaos, and doubt in our lives.
Adversity tells us, “You cannot handle the storm”.
Today whisper to Adversity, “I am the storm!”
Despite the chaos a tropical cyclone creates, the eye of the storm, at the centre of the cyclone is calm.
We too can be the calm in the storm. We can choose to be the eye of the storm even when adversity tells us we cannot handle the challenges and chaos in our lives.
It is true, we can’t always control the storm, and I often wonder why random mass shootings occur, why drugs and addictions begin to rule lives, and why illness and loss, especially those so young, happen.
And yet, in times of despair, I adamantly believe that we can choose to quiet our minds, calm the storm from within, and resurrect hope.
It isn’t always easy, especially if we think we can harness the storms alone.
As I watched Megan and Everleigh fly on Megan’s horse Aramis, I thought of the connection that Megan, Everleigh, Aramis, and I had. An invisible thread that wove us together in that moment.
As we all worked together, Megan helping Everleigh balance, Aramis staying to the task, and me standing and guiding at the end
of the rope, I marveled how together we made a situation that could be challenging into one of trust, love, and fun!
Together we became One breath ~ One Heartbeat ~ One Song.
This truly is the key to surviving a storm. Circling the wagons, surrounding yourself with people who care and love you, and reminding each other to be …
- Mindful – staying in the present moment, not rushing too far ahead, and put a stop to the “what ifs”.
- Prayerful for each other
- Thankful and hopeful even for the smallest of blessings.
No, perhaps the odds don’t look good. Maybe you’ve been told the worst. But don’t YOU expect the worst.
Don’t let adversity create a storm within you that blinds you to the hope that every moment, every loving family and friend, and every miracle can make.
You may be asking, as I did, “How can I help Everleigh?”
First and foremost, I truly believe prayer is powerful.
Do you have to be “religious” to pray? What does that really mean? Sure, there are theological definitions, but let’s not complicate it. Prayer = love.
Prayer is love and simply believing in an invisible power, what I call God or Spirit, (you may have a different name for this power and that’s ok), knowing that we don’t have all the answers, but we petition with hope, expectation, belief that miracles are possible.
Does this always guarantee that life works out the way we pray for?
No, but that invisible thread that connects us makes the challenges easier to handle. Just knowing someone is praying for you creates a SHIFT to hope and strengthens us to rise upeven in the midst of an unimaginably fierce storm.
Second, a local horse stable has created t-shirts that say, “Ride for Everleigh”, and 100% of the proceeds go to help Everleigh and her parents. Click here for more information.
Pray Unceasingly with Unwavering Prayers
From my heart to yours I pray you will be happy, hopeful, and feel inner harmony.
And if there is anyone heavy upon your heart that you would like me, and my horses in our Circle of Hope, to pray for, just write me and we will be sure to remember you and yours in prayer, too.
Until next time, be mindful, prayerful, and thankful every day and let’s stay connected with One Breath – One Heartbeat – One Song.
Blessings,
