Horse

It is not enough for a man to know how to ride;

He must know how to fall.

~ Mexican Proverb

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I like horses.  From a distance.  I don't like them too up close.  Well, actually I don't mind them up close as long as they don't bite or step on me.  I think they are nice looking animals.  And I have heard that they are smart.

 

When I was a kid, one time we were at my aunt and uncle's house.  I got on a horse without a saddle.  My cousin Tamara slapped the horse on the butt and it took off.  It took off and I fell off.  I didn't like that last part so much.

 

I guess I knew how to fall.  Or, I didn't really know how to fall.  It just came naturally.  Almost like there was some hidden force pulling me to the ground. 

 

I wasn't angry at the horse.  I wasn't very happy with my cousin.  I think we all learned a very valuable lesson.  I learned that horses are easily slippery-off-of.  The horse learned that I am easily slippery-off.  My cousin learned that if you slap a horse that I am sitting on, I'm not going to be very happy.

(pause)

Maybe those aren't really valuable lessons.  Especially since I think we all knew each of those things before the incident.

Sometimes stuff just happens and there isn't a whole lot to learn from it.

Sometimes you just fall off a horse.