But a good story, with the tears and cheers, the struggle to overcome, the
questions, the answers....this is what endurance riding is about. There
is a poignancy, a loneliness out there, that cannot be shared with your
co-workers, probably not with most of your friends, unlikely with your
relatives. A good story SHARES lessons to be learned, raises issues,
points the way for the evolution of the sport.
I do not need to "know" the author....but I will most assuredly "know" that
person better after reading that story.
If you do not care to share the adventure, then skip that passage. The
Endurance Homepage carries "stories" as well as pertinent "articles".
The fact-filled articles may be pertinent today, tomorrow's facts may
change as new realities are brought to bear. The stories last forever,
for they come from the soul of the rider and the soul of the sport. They
are my inspiration.
This forum was not designed as a scholarly endeavor, replete with
credentialed authors espousing carefully constructed theories, backed up
with scientific data and meticulous statisitics. But the forum has the
incredible good fortune of having available an extremely knowledgeable
group of people who are literate, articulate, well-informed and
compassionate.
I feel that every contributor is a valuable one, and almost always
provides a "gem" of wisdom, something that speaks from the heart and from
experience.
Would you rather live in a barren wasteland of cold facts and meaningless
lists, or would you rather live the adventure, in the imagination,
through the written word?
This is a philosophical question. And perhaps because so much rancor has
passed through our airways these last few days, could it be time to stop
for a moment and reassess what we each expect, what we each would like to
contribute?
And so you don't think I "hate" the lists...no, no I love the lists, I
read each name, each horse, each time. I celebrate the
achievements....but I would like more.
So if you have a story to tell, please at least tell me!
Diane @ Safe Haven
safehavn@fast.net