Tough to be Gentle

Whenever I have this compelling need to put on a strong façade, I find myself struggling. It’s never easy to look tough on the outside but feel all Jello-ish inside. One animal which doesn’t have that problem though, is the horse. With shiny mane, one that neighs and trots about gracefully, looks so effortlessly powerful.

Horses are fascinating. What I especially like about horses is that they look so mighty and yet they can be as gentle as a lamb. Horses can fight wars, win police car chases in movies, and at the same time they are a little girl’s pet. These beasts of burden can likewise be Barbie’s unassuming BFF.

That brings us back to the age-old adage of not judging a book by its cover. Outside appearances can be deceiving. Although a horse packs a wallop in size, it has a meek demeanor about it. Same goes with people. Somebody may seem all herculean and tough on the outside, but cringes at the mere sight of creepy crawlies. Never be fooled by how a person looks.

I wish I were a horse. Not because I want to trample on people who annoy me (although I wouldn’t mind doing that at all!). I just sometimes wish that people would perceive me to be a strong woman. Whenever tears feel like falling, I want to be able to suck it all in and have a “to-hell-with-it” attitude.

But I am a horse. If I think it, I will be it.