“Inside each of us, sitting like a well-worn jewel in the clear-running river of our own soul, present right here today, there is also a deep and noble human being, unknown even to his or her closest neighbor…” Martin Prechtel
I love this quote from Martin Prechtel, (one of my favorite authors) because it reminds me that there is a place that feels like a delicious secret, buried deep inside — beyond the personality and outward appearance—where a mysterious treasure resides. When I read this quote by Martin, I feel a jolt of remembering, of being discovered….he knows that we carry magic and truth and wonder inside of us, even if it has been buried and long forgotten; even if it has not been seen or recognized by anyone.
Some of us remember that feeling of magic, anticipation and wonder from being a small child exploring nature. In those days, while climbing a tree or building a fort, we may have felt like we were part of a beautiful world full of secrets to explore, create, and imagine. When we are in that frame of mind, we don’t feel alone or depressed. Friends are everywhere, invisible or not! And there is a feeling of goodness and energy that infuses and drives us into our next adventure.
When that feeling disappears for a long time (or it’s been depressed, held back, pushed down), and joy is nowhere to be found, don’t be fooled. That light inside you is still there, and the precious jewel that makes you unique and special in this world is still noble and glowing, even if you can’t remember the way back to it.
Here is how Christa feels when she is depressed:
Days passed, with one blurring into the next. My normally white skin looked blotched, and my red hair frizzed hopelessly into curls I didn’t even try to brush. My blue eyes washed out to a dull gray. On the worst days, it felt like there were holes in my heart, as if one of the arrowheads I’d found on the trail with Lucky had lodged itself into the tissue and worked its way deep.
Just when Christa has given up, she finds a new friend. Sometimes it takes the miracle of one friend, which could be an animal–perhaps a cat or dog or horse —who gives your heart a lift. When Christa meets Jenner, the beautiful 17- hand red beauty, she feels a sense of happiness for the first time in months.
“The horse stepped closer. I felt his warm breath on my head as he snuffed my hair. He dropped his forehead right onto the center of my chest and left it there, like we were old buddies. My stomach stopped aching for the first time in ages. I breathed in his warmth. “What’s his name?” I asked.
“Jenner,” the man working the auction answered.
Animals can be our best friends because they understand and can sniff out those jewels buried in our hearts. They- or any friend- may appreciate you enough to send the dark clouds around your heart racing away. Jenner helps Christa to be curious about who she is now and where she can go from here. When she rides him she feels strong again.
Within minutes, Jenner was saddled and bridled. I swung onto him and enjoyed the view. This was the tallest horse I’d ever sat. I could feel the muscles rippling through his body and the strength that lay just below the surface.
Riding this horse made me feel beautiful. With each giant step, my chest opened wide and my shoulders relaxed…
Jenner is a powerful horse, and he inspires Christa to live again…but will Christa be able to control him?
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