I have deep thoughts about everything

today – horses 

(this photo is not of the horses in this deep thought, just one of the many baby animal photos I stop abruptly to snap)

there are some really pitiful gray horses on a little county road I travel frequently 

my son’s nana would say how “ugly” they are every time we passed them and to be fair, they actually are 

the living conditions are tough – junk on the unkept land, no shelter, I don’t even know

at one point these animals were pathetically emaciated and the sheriff’s department was there every other day- I’m sure answering the call of a concerned citizen

today I drove by and saw the neighbor across the street feeding them – the same man I’ve seen feeding these animals for years, driven by him literally hundreds of times with a little pail of food, on the other side of the fence, hand feeding this crew to their delight

and to his

I noticed and then realized how he always has a kind, soft expression on his face as he tenderly cares for them

scruffing their little heads as they aggressively devour the contents of his pail 

and the deep thought washed over me

maybe it’s my made up version of what is going on but i really believe it’s the truth

he isn’t judging 

anyone

not the owners of the animals

not the situation

in my mind, he’s judging nothing 

he’s also not devaluing them because they aren’t the most beautiful horses in the pasture

his one and only goal is to care for these animals that are vulnerable and can’t care for themselves 

he happily walks over day in and day out and helps a situation that needs attention with love and compassion 

he doesn’t try to delve deeply into the why

or try to understand how things got this way 

he doesn’t try to change the owners actions

or get angry because the owners aren’t doing what he is doing

or responding the way he responds

he’s not feeling superior because he’s doing the right and best thing 

he’s not on FB announcing how awful these people are and how wonderful he is 

or in the office on Monday morning yelling about his crappy neighbors 

he is simply, happily, quietly and lovingly attending to a situation that needs attention with love and compassion 

deep.

thought.  

”Humanity shares a unique bond with God, characterized by deep personal intimacy and the invitation to foster a beautiful world. The nature of humanity’s relationship with God stands apart from that of the rest of creation. We aren’t merely inhabitants of this evolving terrain but its designated stewards. Humanity is empowered not with unchecked authority, but a deep-seated duty. Our role? To protect every tree and every creature, ensuring all thrive under our care. In this way, we mirror the care, grace, and compassion that God extends to us.”- A Beautiful Year in the Bible