It is with sadness that I write today. Not a personal sadness... an empathic sadness.
I wrote once about my neighbors. They are kind, generous, and friendly people. She has a passion for flowers, gardening, and especially, horses. He is hardworking and (I swear) has almost every machine or toy that a small farm could ever need!
A little over a year ago one of their two horses contracted a very serious illness (from opossums). My neighbor literally fed this horse out of her hand. She once told me that she would stand next to Peppy and pretend to chew so that Peppy would know what to do. She would give him the medicine that the vet prescribed, clean his stall and bed him with special bedding, and love on him. This nursing was long term. I think she said she helped him like this for over a year and a half. But finally one day midsummer Peppy could go on no more. A sad, but necessary, decision was made and my neighbors asked the vet to come out and assist Peppy in a painless entry into death.
We had the privilege of digging a horse sized hole with our backhoe. My husband very efficiently dug a wide 10 x 10 foot hole about 8-9 feet deep. And our neighbor gently placed Peppy in his burial place. After my husband buried him we had a spontaneous little funeral. My daughter and son, my husband, my two neighbors and I bowed our heads and thanked the Lord, the Creator of all good things, for the life and love of this horse. I recall that we asked God to comfort our friends. It was indeed a very special time.
Why am I sad today? My neighbors have been searching almost 5 months for a new "older" horse for Rocky (their remaining horse). After seeking and handling and riding numerous horses they finally had chosen the special friend for Rocky. My neighbor told me recently that she would go over to the stable where this beautiful mare was and ride her everyday for at least an hour. This bonding and friendship-making lasted several weeks. Last week the new horse was brought to her new home.
All went well. The new horse and Rocky were instant friends. My neighbor said "it was like Lady and the Tramp". The two horses would snuggle and muzzle up to each other and share food. A match made in heaven. But then the unthinkable occurred. An accident. Unforeseen. Unpreventable. The new mare somehow got cut on a gate. Perhaps she was resting by the gate and moved her head into the electric wire and jumped. It is unclear. But she was injured. The vet of course immediately came over to render aid. Pretty straightforward. Stop the bleeding; suture the wound; apply antibiotics. But apparently something was amiss. That evening, the "Lady" died. Embolism? Head injury? We will never know. But what we do know is that Rocky is alone again and my neighbors are
very sad.
My husband's backhoe services were used once again. They buried her right next to Peppy in the cherry tree grove. The children and I were unable to attend. But my husband said it was a sad, sad burial.
If you are a praying person, please pray for comfort and rest for my dear neighbors. I wish my arms of hugs and words of comfort could make "it" all better. But I know that only the God of all Comfort can calm the soul and bring joy once again.
Today's Journey Joy - empathy
