My Portion Forever

As I walked along the pasture fence, the horse's head jerked up from her grazing. She saw me coming up the road, and trotted over, lifting her nose and blowing out her nostrils.
"Hello," I said companionably, as she thrust her neck over the fence. Her ears were pricked forward, and she looked as though she were saying, "Where were you? I have been waiting and waiting with nothing to do but separate the grass from the grubs. I don't mind an occasional crunchy ant but you can't imagine how much it grosses me out to eat a slimeball grub."

"I don't like them either," I agreed, as I began walking along the dirt path that paralleled the pasture. The horse trotted alongside.
"So," said the Horse, "You are here for your daughter's lesson again?"
"Yes."
"You could not ask for a nicer day," she whinnied, "And the view! Look out my back window!"
I didn't need to be reminded. I had already developed a neck crick from walking and gazing at the hills and the fall foliage just beyond the pasture to my right. I saw Asherel in the distance bouncing on her horse with the other students. I never pass up an opportunity to walk, especially when I can be in the company of horses.

"Where's your baby?" I asked the horse. I remembered three adorable foals and their dams had been in this pasture over the summer.
"I AM the baby!" nickered the horse.
"Wow, really?! That was fast!" I said, eying her full stature.
"Well you know the adage- he who hesitates....."
"I do," I nodded, "It's my motto."
"Well in your case you may want to hesitate a tad longer at times."
"What do you mean?"
"Well hesitating too long is one thing, but leaping without looking or thinking.... that is entirely a different but equally critical message you may want to add to your lexicon."
"Look Horse, I am not out here for psychoanalysis. I just want to walk and talk with God and commune with nature."
The horse was silent, her head bobbing with each step that she matched to mine.
I saw the students filing out of the practice arena.
"Oh, gotta go," I called to the horse. She nodded and headed back to the middle of the pasture. I saw her munching and then heard her spit and say,"Yuck, another nasty grub! Bleh!"

As I reflected on my time walking with the horse, I thought, "How happy I am! The sun is shining, the day is warm, and no matter where I go, I never walk alone."

Psalm 73:21-26
²¹ When my heart was grieved
   and my spirit embittered,
²² I was senseless and ignorant;
   I was a brute beast before you.  ²³ Yet I am always with you;
   you hold me by my right hand.
²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
   and afterward you will take me into glory.
²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
   And earth has nothing I desire besides you.
²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
   but God is the strength of my heart
   and my portion forever.