A new year approaches… I’m caught between relief to see 2022 come to an end and excitement (plus apprehension) about 2023. Each new year offers a different energy and I’m using this Solstice time to gather notes about all that I’ve learned this year.
We will start a new (safer) social media presence. We have a new, modular barn coming to the facility. We passed our State Veterinary inspection. This coming year we will have an inspection by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. We hope to move up from “verified”…
This past year we got the water line system installed. It runs from one end of the property to the other! With the bitter cold weather we’ve been having, things are better this winter than last in regard to frozen faucets and ice filled hoses (our new faucets are freeze free and we need fewer hose pipes!).
I’m counting blessings. Grants, patrons and donations mean we can soon fill the hay barn again. Costs went through the roof this year, but we are maintaining the exemplary care we provide for all the equines. We have extraordinary skilled helpers. Mark, Billy and I are holding the form in our personal lives – good health, able to buy groceries and pay our bills… you see, none of us get a dime from the Sanctuary. Every bit of money for the horses goes to the horses!
The battery on my car failed just before the cold weather – I’m always grateful for that sort of timing. My ancient Toyota keeps going! Our truck is small and is 12 years old… we’re sending out energy for a bigger, dependable truck for the sanctuary. We need one to pull horse trailers and haul feed, etc. But, that will also mean insurance costs and upkeep, where, right now, Mark and I use our own vehicles for Dharmahorse. We are dedicated to this sanctuary. It is our life’s mission.
December means doing all of the donation receipts (I’m behind on that – caring for infirm horses the past few months used up my time and energy). It also means getting all of the financial information together for the accountant! The realization that I only have a handful of days left to do these things is a bit stressful!
I have disengaged from the world around me (society, politics, humanity, in a sense). My world is this sanctuary. To keep my sanity, I have to stay focused on the mission. We’ve had a few demoralizing years… while awareness was necessary through the overwhelming events worldwide and the bizarre happenings in this country, I can no longer become inundated by the outside forces that distract from our mission. We made it. We rose to each occasion. I have to trust that we can do so again if necessary.
So, looking forward feels uplifting. Being open to possibilities feels empowering. Taking care of horses feels edifying. Living this life is a gift.
Stablewomen 