LIVE LIKE A KID!!!

• Every summer, we would pack up our house, dump everything in suitcases and head off on our vacation.
• I recall one such summer vacation.
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• Standing helplessly in the midst of travelling bags, ready to leave for the journey, with the chaos and excitement of my kids aged 9 and 5 then, I somehow manage to do the last minute verification of checklist of all the essential requirements of my young ones.
• I decide not to complain about the hurly burly and the subsequent delay  instead I am quietly trying to enjoy the long tiring journey with my super energetic chicks.
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• At long last, we have reached our destination and our formal holiday has begun. 
• Sitting in the balcony of the resort, I smile, as this is the time of the year when I relish the prospect of doing absolutely nothing and unwinding with the switch off mode on. But my overenthusiastic elder one jostles in with a declaration that we have to go horseback riding!!!! right away!!!
  
  
  
• Putting away all thoughts of lazying and doing nothing, I decide to set an example of an IDEAL MOTHER, and I keep the needs of my little one before my needs.
• Sitting on a horse for me is like being in hot water but notwithstanding this fear, first and foremost we hit the local market to shop for hats but settle for helmets. Before getting on a horse we want to make sure that  we wore a proper riding helmet considering safety before everything else. We are now resembling more like cowboys rather  cowgirls?? 
  
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• The first tedious task..Mounting the horse  using a horsemount!!!!  Precisely following the instructions given by the horseguy, I pick the reins with left hand, put my left foot in the stirrup closet and push myself over the saddle!!! I finally succeed in the task of  mounting after a struggle of few minutes.
• Second hurdle!! I sit properly on the saddle, let my leg hang in such a manner that it  allows my weight to fall down into my heels, another command by horseguy. I accomplish this job also successfully!!! 
• Holding the reins correctly with just the right tension to maintain control without restricting the horse's movement is the third piece of struggle!!!
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• The horseguy is now  guiding my elder one's horse, mine is an obedient one to follow the former, and my younger one who is too small to ride alone is tucked with father on another horse.
• Our ride has started.. Eventually! 
• Slowly and Steadily.. 
• but only I know that the feeling of insecurity is flaring up.....
• Instinctively using my hands and arms when I start feeling insecure, I end up with my hands in the air leaving with no control of the horse. Next few minutes passes with me trying to balance myself, learning yet another lesson of  balancing!! I also learn that anything that affects our balance also affects our horse's ability to do it's job well!.
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• Soon I realize that riding is more about balance than grip.
• Sweating in the afternoon, I am battling to keep my foot properly not allowing my leg to swing to the front or back, one more difficult venture for me.
• Riding uphill or downhill, the most complicated errand!!!! Making absolutely sure to maintain the position over centre of my horse is another terrifying challenge for me, as balancing now becomes an unnerving task.
• Heading uphill means leaning forward and travelling downhill means leaning back..I sense that now these tasks are exerting me completely, though I am glad to see that my little one is thoroughly enjoying the ride.
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• Suddenly I see my horse has started a brisk walk and I thank my lucky stars as I am saved just on time from falling head on heels.
  
• After climbing a steep hillock, we are now on a path which is very narrow, and on one side, there is a sheer drop  of some thousand odd feet straight into the valley. I immediately send a prayer up and hope that we would cross it soon intact in one piece.
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• Thankfully that is the last straw!
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• I sense now that every muscle in the body  is becoming sore. All I want to do is  give up, when my girl who is merrily enjoying, calls out asking if I was scared and already tired. I want to yell at her for putting me through this as I am not energetic, enthusiastic and more so nine like her anymore. But;
• I don't utter a word as I hear the 'MOTHER INDIA' in me whispering into my ears that our kids learn from us and we are their role models. One must not give up in any draining situation..Mustering my courage and strengthening my willpower, I move ahead and see the setting sun who has witnessed my efforts to finish the entire ride of two hours.
  
• At last the ordeal is over, when we are back at the resort and I finally get off  the horse.
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• I realise that my holiday has officially begun now...
• Yes indeed....
• with the most thrilling experience of horseback riding and I see my cherished dream of idling and lazying vanishing in the air. 
• I also realise that I am exhausted and excited at the same time, I feel truly wonderful having been pulled through successfully each moment of riding hurdle to hurdle.
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• Now I think, we grownups struggle with our fears, yeah we fear our fears, try to take the easiest way out, the laziest way, sometimes fearing to try out scary things thinking that the age is not in our favour.
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• I wish we must live like kids, enthusiastic, learn and try new things, even if these things appear scary, conquer our fear, run, jump, climb a tree, ride a horse, chase a butterfly, tumble, and learn how to live merrily....... 
• .....truly in the manner I endeavoured to overcome my fear of horseback riding few years back with my toddler!!!!