my momma the cowgirl

My mom grew up riding horses. Her escape from a chaotic childhood was found on the back of a horse racing across the meadows. Freedom restoring her soul.So while we were in horse country, we knew we had to give her the opportunity to ride again.After getting acquainted with the horse, she mounted and rode around the coral. Always a complete natural riding, she glided along beaming a smile. When she started speeding up, we got concerned but still she smiled and glided so no one intervened. Before we realized they were out of control, it was too late and she fell to the ground.I don't know that I've ever been more scared in my life.Having landed and then hitting the back of her head, she lay on the ground. Unresponsive until I repeated her name, she could barely speak. Slowly her breath came back. Ever so slowly we tested her for feeling in her extremities and then her mobility...thankfully everything still worked. Even more slowly she sat up...all the while trying to remember what had happened. She had no memory. Confused, she couldn't remember anything. Kept repeating herself.Loading her into the truck to go to the emergency room, we kept her awake, her head iced, and her memory started returning. The thirty minute ride to the ER shortened to twenty and felt like forty.The Lord was so gracious and provided an amazing nurse and doctor who took great care to take every precaution and make sure Mom would have the best care. Finding nothing concerning on her CAT scan, they released her from the hospital into our care for the night.Her brother, nephew and his wife, and my brother all took such tender care of her. Acting as nurse, I woke her up every hour and gave her a steady dose of Tylenol every four hours. Each moment brought her more clarity, memory and relief from nausea.Looking back and knowing she is now OK, there is relief. Even humor at some of the funny things she kept repeating.This entire road trip was fueled by a deep conviction that none of us are guaranteed another moment. Watching a beautiful, healing moment turn instantaneously to an accident was confirmation of this truth. Anything can happen at any moment to any one of us. This accident in turn brought deeper healing to my heart. And a knowledge of just how very dear my mother is to me.