Imagine Being There: The Rodeo

For ten days child and animal have come to know each other, be dependent and rely upon one another.  Amy has Leukemia.  She has been told by her parents that she can't do many of the things other kids do.  All week long she has worked to prove them wrong.  The air is hot.  Beads of sweat cling to her forehead.  Anxiety forces her grip on the reins to tighten.  She could have chosen to walk or trot the course.  She chose to trot.

Having never ridden a horse before this week, she gently kicks Dusty's sides.  He begins his trot around the course.  The dapple-grey colt responds gracefully to her subtle commands, giving his all.  Clumps of ground are displaced by the animal's powerful hooves.  All eyes are transfixed on the horse and rider.  As the diffused early morning sun reflects off the sheen of Dusty's coat, Amy's legs and hands guide him through the course, two separate living entities moving as one. 

Not once having traversed the course to her satisfaction, on this morning Amy and Dusty were flawless.  Upon reaching the finish line Amy lunges forward throwing her arms around Dusty's neck and exclaims, "We did it.  We did it.  I love you." Her fellow campers, family, counselors, and volunteers erupt with cheers, laughter and screaming congratulations. Out of the saddle she springs, with tears of pride and joy streaming down her cheeks, she rushes over to Kelly and hugs her with all her might saying, "You were right, I could do it."

Where the children finish in The Rodeo standings is not important.  What is amazing is the transformation that takes place having spent a week with people telling them what they can do, not what they can't do.  Empowered, confident, optimistic and with a re-discovered sense of self-esteem and direction in life, each child is more fortified to deal with any challenges which may lay ahead.