Dancer and Dave

["Whitney Bass" <bass@bigsky.net>]

When I lost my endurance horse about 8 years ago, Kerry Ridgeway wrote me a
letter that provided me some peace during that very sad time.   I hold his
words to me very dear, and I wanted to share a small part of it with Dave. 
"It is about 14 months ago that I lost my special horse over a cliff on the
Tevis trail. . . . . .  Right after my loss, I was plagued with thoughts of
"why me?"  Words from a passage in a book called "God is Red," regarding
the death of an Omaha chief named Black Buffalo, helped my perspective.  I
pass these words on to you.  ' Do not grieve.  Misfortunes will happen to
the wisest and best of men.  Death will come and always out of season.  It
is the command of the Great Spirit, and all nations and people must obey. 
What is past and cannot be prevented should not be grieved for . . .
misfortunes do not flourish particularly in our path.  They grow
everywhere. ' "
 
Whitney