"the things we do for love"

Are you hearing it? Remember that song? I was singing "The things we do for love, the things we do for love" this morning on the way to the stable. That's the only 2 lines I could remember.

But anyway, those of you who know me know I'm not thrilled about early mornings, and even less thrilled with cold weather, so why am I found driving to horse stables at dawn's early light on a cold and frosty morning?

Cue the music . .. "the things we do for love..." You see my daughter loves horses, and I love my daughter, and I love to see her work...so I drive her to the stables once a week in the early morning to do her share of barn chores.

Now that you think I'm such a devoted and sacrificing mother, let me share a little secret. I actually LIKE going into the barn early in the morning to feed the horses. Really, I'm starting to enjoy it.

It's quiet and still when I open the door, and then they all start this quiet nickering noise. They recognize and acknowledge where their food is coming from - unlike most of us humans. And their needs are so simple - a slice of hay, a scoop of grain, a bucket of water...life is good.

There's something therapeutic about doing simple, physical work - pushing a wheelbarrow and filling buckets with water, even shovelling you know what.

And I'm getting to know the horses' personalities. There's Onyx, who likes to bite the hand that feeds him. Gotta watch yourself around him. Hmm, I know people like that. And then there's Zipporah - she's sweetness and light to people at the top of the food chain, but will bite the butt of her horse peers given half the chance - funny, I know people like that too!

Then there are the ones that snort and kick their stalls if you don't get their grain served fast enough to please them, and toss their heads and look important, like they have somewhere they really need to be. Wow. I know people like that too.

And there are some, like my favorite fat little pony, who are content to gaze dreamily out their stall door, with wisps of hay dangling from the corners of their mouths, waiting to be petted on the head. I can feel myself relax just looking at them!

Very interesting - maybe I could learn something here - I'm sure there's some deep, profound truth just waiting to be discovered - but I think I'll just scoop grain, carry water...and enjoy the earthy, satisfying simplicity of barn chores; a nice break from the rest of the week.