Navigating the Straight and Narrow

Isn’t March supposed to be the calm before the storm of activity that April and May bring?  Perhaps more than Mother Nature is confused.  It’s been a rough month full of distractions.  The muck and mire may be trying their best to suck us down, but with Longview a little over a month away, we’re trying to find the straight and narrow.

Nutmeg’s long athletic body is finally showing it’s down side.  In all the snow and wet she’s been slip sliding around and shifting her pelvis out of place.  We are making great friends with our chiropractor and exploring some of the many, many options available to horse owners that want to supplement their athletic horse’s joints to protect them from wear and tear.

As we explore our options and weigh the pocketbook a little event called Longview keeps popping up.  Entries are open, but what to do?  Will we have it together in time to compete?  Should we drop down a level just to be safe?  Should I put the money set aside for the entry fee toward further investigation of Nutmeg’s new found love of the bunny hop?  I have very firm beliefs when it comes to putting the welfare of the horse first, unfortunately life is rarely found to be black and white.

These days I find myself pondering an image from my childhood.  It came from Pilgrim’s Progress when Christian was traveling through the Valley of the Shadow of Death.  The graphic depiction showed Christian perilously navigating the thin, winding path with a sheer drop off on either side (side note: maybe this explains my fear of heights).  In the depths of the cavern all sorts of glowing evil things loomed waiting to gobble him up if he should take a false step.  My current tribulations certainly don’t compare in gravity, yet I find myself thinking that we’re at a turning point and these decisions really matter.

Normally I live much like I drive through snow.  I have a clear plan on where I’m going, I set my sights, and hit the gas.  There are moments when I’m jerked around a bit.  I slip, slide, veer and correct, but if I keep on the gas and keep my nose headed in the right direction, we make it there.  I guess its good we live in the middle of nowhere and have very little oncoming traffic as that complicates things a bit.   The point is, I thrive rolling with the punches and dealing with every little hic-up as it occurs.  Driving in a straight line is not my strong suit.  Finding the straight line under pressure is even more difficult, and if it’s buried under an even blanket of snow – forget about it!

Life would be much simpler if the direction was always clear.  Step off the path and you plummet to certain death.  For me anyway, that makes decision making quite a bit simpler.  So, do we keep pushing forward, chancing the footing on the slope of medication?  Do I take a stand, firmly holding that even the slightest indication of a problem, is a problem and life as we know it should halt in its tracks?  Or is there ground to walk on in the middle?  It may not be a Fresh Perspective, but it’s one that we face every day.  Black, white, or gray?  Which way is the best way?