Riding away

It’s funny how life comes full circle. Those you’ve known in one facet come to you in another. This has been true of the thoroughbred industry of which our family was involved in both aspects of business and friendships.

One of my first actual clients in my private practice was such a man. I’d known him though our common work with a philanthropy for riding for the handicapped.  He was a  board member and I volunteered for a number of years for a steeplechase fund raising event. My part was strictly the social, planning the auction and dinner before the next days’ racing. He was an Irishman, passionate about both the cause and the racing, with a brilliant humor. Now he was ill with cancer and things weren’t going well. 

He had one goal, to see his children through the summer. He had plans for them to  ride, not horses, but roller coasters together and be a part of their summer. There was much family strife between he and his ex-wife and the tensions were high.  Still, he had his humor and his love of the horse was ever strong and always a part of our conversations together as I worked with him.

One day during a session. His usual banter slowed and he dropped into  a particularly deep state. I don’t call this sleep, as it appears different. People report drifting in and out. “I was there, and then I wasn’t”. It’s always hard to describe or really know what it is. “I was with you but I wasn’t” .  He appeared to be in one of these nonlocal states.

As his breathing deepened, he lifted his arms up off of his body. I noted particularly how his fingers spread and curled. The hands weren’t flat and outstretched, but curled with thumbs slightly lifted. I pictured an image of a rider with the reins threaded through the fingers with a light touch for riding.  He moved and lifted his arms gently moving in rhythm. It  seemed that he was off on a glorious smooth ride. He looked so peaceful and content.  Flying through the energy field on his horse. 

When he awoke he made no mention of the journey he’d been on, but I saw and felt it in his presence. He was ready to ride on to his next chapter. A few weeks after his trip to the amusement park with his children he was off to that place.