TheBanyanTree: Some People Said ...

[Dee Churchill]

Barbaro died today.

A lot of people cried when they heard the news.

Some people said, "Are you crazy? He was just a horse."

Well, yes. He was just a horse the same way Babe Ruth was just a 
baseball player. The same way Shirley Temple was just  child star. The 
same way Bob Hope was just a comedian. The list could go on forever but 
these few examples make my point -- which is that there are some 
entities, be they critter or human, who capture our hearts and lift our 
spirits when we most need that lift.

Some people said, "Where are your priorities? There are horrible things 
going on in this world that need your attention."

Well, yes. We know that. Dear God, we know that all too well. That's why 
we need to grasp those things that can reassure us there is beauty and 
goodness in the midst of all this hatred and sickness. If what we grasp 
happens to be a beautiful horse who cheers us with his ability and 
spirit, what's wrong with that? When so many of our public figures are 
mean-spirited and flawed with greed, is it any wonder we lavish some of 
our attention on something that can't be corrupted?

Some people said, "All that money spent to keep Barbaro alive could have 
been better used to feed starving children."

Well, yes. The same can be said of all too much of our government 
spending, from the smallest village to the White House, itself. The same 
can be said of any frivolous expenditure made by any one of us. There 
are a lot of serious needs in the world and we cannot each address it 
all. We can only do what we can do. At least the money that funded the 
medical procedures on this horse was far better spent than that which 
goes into pockets filled via corruption. At least the lessons learned 
with Barbaro's care can benefit other animals and, yes, other humans.

Some people said, "All this grief over a horse. Where's your grief for 
our soldiers?"

Well, yes. Right up front and center. And even many of our solders were 
cheering for Barbaro, you know. It is possible to care deeply about more 
than one thing without showing a lack of respect for any. Shedding tears 
for a horse takes absolutely nothing away from the tears shed for a 
soldier. Both are valid. Both are worthy. Like love, grief should not be 
a matter of competition. It simply IS.

Barbaro died today. A lot of people cried when they heard the news.

I was one of them.


Hugs, Dee ...
Coffee Bean Goddess
http://cbg-dee.blogspot.com