Dealing With Disappointment
Lessons from a Tragic Accident
This is the 20th post I have written, and it is by far the hardest. I appreciate the positive feedback I have received from many of you as I share my experiences here on the ranch. I have tried to keep them upbeat, so I have been debating whether to share this experience, but since we often learn the most from our negative experiences, I feel like I needed to share.
Five days ago, our horses escaped from our pasture and ran down by the reservoir among the cattails and reeds bordering our land. No big deal; this sometimes happens. However, as I gathered them the next morning, I witnessed a scene that is seared in my memory. Our beautiful six-week-old filly had been stabbed in the eye by one of the reeds. We rushed her to the vet, but the only thing he could do was remove the eyeball and sew it shut.
The differences between how the horses and our family have reacted to the accident have been fascinating. The little horse and her mother have bounced back as if nothing happened. The vet and numerous local horse experts have assured us that she will still be able to live a wonderful life. One-eyed horses have run in the Kentucky Derby and performed at the National Finals Rodeo. However, it has been much harder for our family to cope with the accident. In fact, some of my sons are avoiding coming to visit because they believe it will be just too painful to see her. I have taken the opposite approach. Instead of avoiding her, I have embraced her, literally. A strategy recommended for all newborn horses is to get them comfortable with humans by hugging them and rubbing them down. I have done this every evening since the accident, and for me has been incredibly helpful. Feeling the energy and resilience from this filly is helping me heal from the disappointment, forgive myself for not being more vigilant and realize it will be OK. I do not believe my sons are wrong, and I am right in the way we are dealing with the accident. Each of us must work through the grief in our way. A recent article in Fast Company said, “One of the most powerful roles a leader can play is in helping people to find their own resilience”. I do believe this brave horse has many powerful lessons to teach our family in the upcoming years.
