TheBanyanTree: Some People Said ...

[Pam North]

*BRAVO*!!!!

Very nicely said, *I* think, Dee!

Barbaro fought long and hard for months... I really wanted him to get
better, beat the odds.  And I too was saddened when he was put down.

Thank you for taking the time to write this.  Not surprisingly, you managed
to also capture what so many others of us were feeling (and thinking!) as
well.

Pam


On 1/29/07, Dee Churchill <deecee at toast.net> wrote:
>
> 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
>