That pain was real, too.
There are all kinds of adversities. Some of them bring us to our knees for a long time. Others are short-lived.
Often, we feel alone and isolated. We think we are the only one who’s ever known such heartbreak. But it’s never so. We are never alone.
Everyone has a rocky road. And you can bet those rocks will show up from time to time.
Adversity is a part of our lives. Whether our trials are large or small, they can be tough to navigate.
I used to say that when I get to heaven (assuming I go there (:-) I’m going to ask God why he made so many things so hard? Why can’t we just cruise in our lives? Why can’t it be easier?
I would never pretend to be a scholar or a theologian and answer those questions. But there is one thing I do know.
The real journey of our lives (including our “horsey” life) is a bumpy one. No one escapes disappointments and uncertainties.
I have also come to know that in each trial, there is a gift equal to or greater than the pain.
Although we would never choose the adversity on our own, in the aftermath of it, we can choose to hunt for the treasure … to focus on finding the gift that lies beneath the surface … and then be deeply grateful for the new-found gem.
There are two keys to opening ourselves up to receive the gift(s) in adversity. The first is to be willingly to walk through the shadows.
When adversity hits, I encourage you to walk through that yuck with an open mind. Say to your heart, “Thank you for the gift even though I don’t know what it is right now. I will surely discover it. I will keep searching for it. I will find it.”
The second key is to be kind to yourself along the way. Be gentle with you. Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend.
You are awesome. You have a precious, personal, beautiful spark. During times of adversity, take care of yourself.
There is always a gift in every adversity. It’s up to you to be the treasure hunter who is kind to you. Be
patient and kind
with you.
23 / Sport and Trail Magazine
I
I have trained and shown cutting horses for a lifetime. As a professional trainer, I can remember sad trips home when I bombed out of a national cutting competition in Fort Worth, Texas. Sometimes I lamented my mistakes during the entire four-hour drive from North Texas to South Texas. UGH!
But then, over time, I became more and more aware of folks with real life-threatening trials. Wow. Being upset about losing a cow at the show seemed almost embarrassing by comparison.
As I thought about the trials of those people, I started to wonder about the meaning of my life with horses. What was the real importance of it all?
And what about the importance of external “success” and trying to hold on to winning? What about all of the pain of the bomb-outs in the show arena?
That pain was real, too.
There are all kinds of adversities. Some of them bring us to our knees for a long time. Others are short-lived.
Often, we feel alone and isolated. We think we are the only one who’s ever known such heartbreak.
But it’s never so. We are never alone.
Everyone has a rocky road. And you can bet those rocks will show up from time to time.
Adversity is a part of our lives. Whether our trials are large or small, they can be tough to navigate.
I used to say that when I get to heaven (assuming I go there (:-) I’m going to ask God why he made so many things so hard? Why can’t we just cruise in our lives? Why can’t it be easier?
I would never pretend to be a scholar or a theologian and answer those questions. But there is one thing I do know.
The real journey of our lives (including our “horsey” life) is a bumpy one. No one escapes disappointments and uncertainties.
I have also come to know that in each trial, there is a gift equal to or greater than the pain.
Although we would never choose the adversity on our own, in the aftermath of it, we can choose to hunt for the treasure … to focus on finding the gift that lies beneath the surface … and then be deeply grateful for the new-found gem.
There are two keys to opening ourselves up to receive the gift(s) in adversity.
The first is to be willingly to walk through the shadows.
When adversity hits, I encourage you to walk through that yuck with an open mind. Say to your heart, “Thank you for the gift even though I don’t know what it is right now. I will surely discover it. I will keep searching for it. I will find it.”
The second key is to be kind to yourself along the way. Be gentle with you. Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend.
You are awesome. You have a precious, personal, beautiful spark. During times of adversity, take care of yourself.
There is always a gift in every adversity. It’s up to you to be the treasure hunter who is kind to you. Be patient and kind with you.
BARBRA SCHULTE
ADVERSITY'S
bombed out of a national cutting competition in Fort Worth, Texas. Sometimes I lamented my mistakes during the entire four-hour drive from North Texas to South Texas. UGH!
But then, over time, I became more and more aware of folks with real life-threatening trials. Wow. Being upset about losing a cow at the show seemed almost embarrassing by comparison.
As I thought about the trials of those people, I started to wonder about the meaning of my life with horses. What was the real importance of it all?
And what about the importance of external “success” and trying to hold on to winning? What about all of the pain of the bomb-outs in the show arena?
That pain was real, too.
There are all kinds of adversities. Some of them bring us to our knees for a long time. Others are short-lived.
Often, we feel alone and isolated. We think we are the only one who’s ever known such heartbreak.
But it’s never so. We are never alone.
Everyone has a rocky road. And you can bet those rocks will show up from time to time.
Adversity is a part of our lives. Whether our trials are large or small, they can be tough to navigate.
I used to say that when I get to heaven (assuming I go there (:-) I’m going to ask God why he made so many things so hard? Why can’t we just cruise in our lives? Why can’t it be easier?
I would never pretend to be a scholar or a theologian and answer those questions. But there is one thing I do know.
The real journey of our lives (including our “horsey” life) is a bumpy one. No one escapes disappointments and uncertainties.
I have also come to know that in each trial, there is a gift equal to or greater than the pain.
Although we would never choose the adversity on our own, in the aftermath of it, we can choose to hunt for the treasure … to focus on finding the gift that lies beneath the surface … and then be deeply grateful for the new-found gem.
There are two keys to opening ourselves up to receive the gift(s) in adversity.
The first is to be willingly to walk through the shadows.
When adversity hits, I encourage you to walk through that yuck with an open mind. Say to your heart, “Thank you for the gift even though I don’t know what it is right now. I will surely discover it. I will keep searching for it. I will find it.”
The second key is to be kind to yourself along the way. Be gentle with you. Treat yourself as you would treat your best friend.
You are awesome. You have a precious, personal, beautiful spark. During times of adversity, take care of yourself.
Gift