When I was little we had a horse on the one acre backyard of our house. The memories I have of that time in life are ideal. A beautiful, big house my parents built by hand. A short street of neighbors we knew and played with often. Nearby creeks to adventure down and catch crawdads. Sliding on our socks on the wood floor in the big, open downstairs as my parents practiced songs for Sunday service. A best friend that came over every day after school. Planting a tree for each of us alongside the house and watching them grow. And a horse to ride bareback anytime we felt like it (or so it seemed). Everything from that season was perfect in my young mind.

Then we moved. From that point on there was before and there was after. A line that split my worlds. What was and what was to come.

Life after we moved was growing up. We had all left something. And while new was adventurous, it was also hard. Hard being the new kid. Hard making new friends. Old friends were easy and safe and I missed them.

But as time went on, and I got older, I asked about those young memories and reality met them. The truth was the house was not that big. The best friend included daily spats. The creek included possible rattle snakes. And that horse, he was an old, slow horse.

That season was sweet because it’s all I knew and I had nothing to compare it to. It just was, and it had been good. Perspective plays tricks on our memories though and we forget that those days had their struggles too. They were just different.

The struggles of today are often compared to yesterday and in so doing lose the gift of being unique adventures for today. The problem is that we’re usually not living in today. We’re comparing to the memories behind or wishing for the dreams ahead. When all along it’s the perspective of that old horse and if we’ll simply climb on board and make the best of today that will bring the best memories!

Thanks old horse. You were strong and spry in my young eyes.