Chickens and A Lesson Learned

Brutus and Timmy

We are going to a show.  Excitement is in the air.  One of my special students is a diligent helper and he is convinced that he too, is showing.  He wants to ride Brutus, a big beautiful Friesian-Cross.  There is no talking him out of it.

I call the show and ask if they would allow him to show.  He won’t have the proper clothing, and though he is sixteen years old, could we show in the lead line class?  They tell me that they will let us.

The day of the show, he is dressed in his best- a Western Shirt complete with a string tie, freshly pressed jeans, cowboy boots, and a large brimmed hat.  His smile says it all- he will disarm all unbelievers, he is here to show with the best of them.  Keep in mind this is an English show.

First class- he wins.  Second Class- second place.  Third Class- he wins.  Fourth Class- he pulls out, he is scared to trot on Brutus.  He WINS Reserve Champion.  Big ribbons, great toys, and pictures taken by the photographer for the show’s web site.  He pats Brutus and off he goes to “find” his ribbons.  He decided that he would just give his ribbons to the first “mother” he saw.

You see, he was too busy to be concerned with ribbons- he had chickens to chase.  It seems that he took the Rocky movie for truth, chasing chickens would make your reflexes like lightning.  Unlike my farm, they had chickens and every free second he had at the show, he was chasing the poor chickens.

That night as I was driving him home.  I glanced in the rear-view mirror and saw a dreamy smile pass on his face.

“Timmy, what did you like best about showing?” I asked.

“Chasing the chickens,” he said.

I guess that sums up the lesson taught to me by a very special blessing in my life.  It is not the ribbons we win, it is the experience that counts.  Who learned more that day, Timmy or Jill?  You guess it, me.  Thanks Timmy.

Did you ever get an unexpected lesson?