Ah . . . that phrase is used for so many things in our culture. When you hit a bad bump in life, or experience a major setback, get a divorce, lose a parent, just have a bad day . . . ya gotta get “back up there” and just keep going or else you’ll turn into a weenie. And who wants to go through life as a weenie?
In my case, at the moment, this phrase is literal. And I must admit I am experiencing a bit of fear and trembling about it. I had a bad slip and fall at a local grocery store last fall that seemed to do to my back and hips what the Bass-o-Matic on t.v. used to do to the . . . well, I guess we won’t go there. In any case, what has resulted is two horrendous melt downs with the ole back followed by months of varied weekly therapies. (What the grocery store is going to do about it remains to be seen, but that is another story.)
In any case, riding has been out of the question ever since. I’ve climbed up a few times, just to see how it would feel, but climbed down just about as quickly because sitting up there out-and-out hurt. Besides, being perched up so high brought a new fear, that of falling off and re-injuring myself. Pre-accident I was riding 2-3 times a week and just starting a regular group class at a nearby trainer’s with my lovely Mustang mare, Bella. Now I’m no spring chicken, so one reason I took Bella into the herd four years ago was that, amazing at it may seem for a Mustang, she is a big mellow kitty kat at heart, and a very safe ride for me. Falling off — or worse, being bucked off — a horse at this point in my life is simply not an option. (Little did I know that the store-that-shall-not-be-named would perform that feat instead of a horse! You take all these precautions, then . . . best laid plans and all that doo-da.)
So you get the idea. I’m doing better and better every week, and it’s time for me to get back on Bella. Bella is my absolute heartthrob, what they call a once-in-a-lifetime horse, and I have never felt about a horse like I do her. I trust her totally, and she understands everything I say to her or even think about in regard to her. So of course she is standing in front of me daily, asking, “Today?” with that sweet, soft, expectant eye of hers. “Today?”
My back is almost well. Spring has sprung and the weather is mostly fine. So one of these days very soon I will conquer my fear of re-hurting myself and will be able to say (gulp) “Yes, today, sweetheart. Today.” I can’t wait.
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