Life Lessons from Bo

When I reflect back on the time I had with Bo, I realized that Bo taught me two very important lessons. Each horse will teach you a lesson; its' simply a matter of recognizing that lesson and putting it to use.


Bo had a hard life. I don't know his entire past nor will I ever know but I do know that at one point, he had it very hard, to the point where he nearly died. You would think that all he'd been through, all he'd experienced, that he would be angry. But he wasn't.  Here in lies the first lesson from Bo's Book of Life.


Forgive and Forget
Bo never once held a grudge to me or any other human for the poor treatment he was dealt that nearly killed him. He was never anything but a gentleman. Even on that fateful day almost 7 years ago, when I put that halter on him to lead him to the trailer (instead of rushing him through aisles as loose horses are typically loaded), Bo raised his head a little higher. It was almost as if he was proud to wear that halter and to know that he was owned and loved by someone. And this even though he was emaciated and near death. For all the terrible things that he'd experienced, he'd forgiven and forgotten.  In the seven years we were together, Bo never carried a grudge.


And that leads me to the second life lesson.


Be Happy
Bo was always happy. He never looked at his past as something to dread. He looked to the future and was always happy. Even though he was bottom of the pecking order, he knew how to avoid the aggressive horses and was simply happy to be near his best friend, Zeke. I have never known a happier horse.


He was handed an unfair lot in life and yet he never let that get him down. All the misfortune he went through even after coming to the Sanctuary, he never let that get him down. Only once did I see him ever be anything but happy and that was when Lightening tried to steal Zeke away as best friend. Otherwise, Bo has always been happy.


We would all benefit from taking a page from Bo's Book of Life and to read and understand more on how to look at the world differently.


I know that I do not forgive nor do I ever forget a wrong done to me. I need to be like Bo and simply let it go. Its' in the past and I need to walk way from it because there is more and much better coming. And that which is coming, shall make me happy. I come from a long line of worriers so simply being happy is a bit harder to do but I want to follow in Bo's foot steps and simply be happy.


So in honor of Bo, I'm going to spend the month of March showing you all what makes me happy. I'm sure some days will be difficult but even the simplest things can and should make me happy. In a world full of "stuff" and "gadgets" sometimes it's the simple things like a sunset or a soft breeze that really makes one happy.


So here's to you Bo on making sure I am happy.


Thank you for teaching me these two very important life lessons.
Love you always Bo