Shepherd Farm

Children lead us to things that we may never otherwise see or experience in our ‘responsible’ adulthood.  They see flowers we walk past, they see butterflies that we miss.  They find leaves that we may not have noticed, and they see birds on branches that we rush past.

Children also cherish the joy of play, unplanned , unbridled play.  Children laugh – sometimes at the bird in the tree, sometimes because they tripped on that funny-shaped stone, sometimes for no reason at all but because it feels good.

Foals are alot like children.  Have you ever watched a young foal with a mare in the field?  The mare, head down and munching on grass, and the foal nosing around – discovering those new things that the mare has grown to tune out. 

The foal sees the fly buzzing about and first stares, then plays with the bug, head bobbing up and down trying to follow the fast moving fly.  The foal sees a muddy patch in the field and noses the mud,  then stomps the mud, rolls in the mud, and then scampers off with the excitement of the new feeling of wet and muddy fur.  The foal sees a flower in the paddock.  The foal fully extends her neck to touch the flower they quickly pulls away.  She engages in this approach-avoidance with this new flower for a while before running back to the mare. 

At times, the mare has been eating all the while, head down, occasionally looking to ensure that her foal has not wandered too far away.  Othertimes, the mare follows her foal.  When she does, she sees the flowers, birds and buzzing flies.

It has been my experience that children show us so many things that we might otherwise miss —  in plain sight.  Children also open us up to joys, laughter, and play that we oftentimes foolishly believe we have outgrown.