Every spring I get the amazing pleasure of seeing the baby foals that are born on the horse farm that I pass each day on my way to work. Each morning from March until about May, my eyes naturally gravitate to the green grassy pasture that is normally dotted with graceful chestnut mares, heads bent toward the ground, tails swishing lazily back and forth. Sometimes, clad in brightly-colored, Native American-inspired blanket coats, they wander close enough to the fence that I can see the flicker of their ears as cars zoom by. Soon enough, though, their curiosity is satisfied and they move away from the road and safely back into their world of hay, sweet feed and the occasional apple.
In the spring time, this comforting, tranquil scene becomes magical. I saw the first baby this week.
The majestic horse was lying fairly close to the fence, so I slowed down to get a good look. Suddenly, from behind the big red mare, a tiny hoof popped straight up into the air…then another and another and another….until four pencil thin legs were sticking straight up followed by a bobbling, bleary eyes (precious!) baby face. Mom raised her head and looked at baby as if we say, “Not again! Go back to sleep!”
Baby looked around a bit, then planted one little back foot on the ground, then the other. Then a little behind went up right before the foal pushed itself up on all fours. Wobbly, bobbly, he swayed for an instant before falling slap down on the ground. Oh, that must’ve hurt. But, he immediately began the process again – two back feet, little backend, then two front feet. This time he stayed up for about five seconds before falling face first beside his mom.
The whole time, mom is watching as baby tries to stand alone. Just as the little foal began his third attempt, the mare inched a bit closer to her foal and gently, ever so gently nudged her baby. Not a push, but just a little nudge that gave the young one the balance and support it needed to stand up straight and tall. All legs and fuzzy nose, the little one stayed up this time – ready to face the world.
As I sat in my car on the side of the road, I thought of all the people who have “nudged” me along the way. Steve Ballard, who took me out of the newspaper business when I was in my early 20’s and was so disillusioned when I learned that the pen is, in fact, mightier than the sword, but not as mighty as the top advertiser. Steve put me to work in the marketing department of Hernando Bank and set me on a career path that I have followed for over 20 years. Judy Beard, who, besides being my mentor and fashion police, told me when I was 22 –“ Never dress for the position you have in business, dress for the position you want.” Best advice for climbing the corporate ladder I ever got – and something I have passed on to so many other young women. Judy continues to “nudge” me fairly regularly and I love her so much for loving me enough to do that for me.
Jon Reeves – I worked for Jon Reeves and Bob Williams at Reeves and Williams Builders for more than 18 years – and I never saw Jon NOT do the right thing. Jon nudged me toward the understanding that family is the most important thing on this earth; doing the RIGHT thing is always the BEST thing; and marketing is nothing more than CARING about other people more than the mighty dollar.
Certainly the biggest “nudger” of my life was my dad. For as long as I can remember, I have stood on my own two feet – wobbly bobbly sometimes; swaying with the wind occasionally; often frozen with the fear of falling – but always with the gentle nudge of my dad’s strong hands and stronger heart. He provided the balance to get me up and the foundation to keep my feet firmly planted on solid ground. Sometimes those nudges were soft reminds and sometimes they were more like a kick in the backend – but they were always delivered with love and the insistence that I stand up straight and tall and be ready to face the world.
With a sigh, I realized that I needed to get to work. Pulling away from the pasture, I stole one more look in my rearview mirror at the mare and her foal. Baby was still standing, wide-eyed, with his nose in the air sniffing all the possibilities in his new world. Mom looked at her new baby to make sure he was okay and then laid her head back down in soft grass, knowing that her work was done.
