I went to my first Touched By A Horse® Core (Equine Gestalt Coaching Method workshop) about two weeks before my 30th wedding anniversary. One of the women there had some jewelry that she had designed. They were beautiful horses with colored stones in them and they were reversible, so it had different colors on each side.
I texted Mike pictures of both sides of the one that I liked asking if he would like to buy me an anniversary gift. He texted back “sure”, so I asked if he wanted to know how much it cost. I didn’t get a response back, so I decided it was alright.
The red side of the “horse angel”.
I normally don’t buy such extravagant things on the spur of the moment, but this seemed like something that I should do. Add to that that the designer gave TBAH herdmates a nice discount and it was a done deal. This is a decision that I made with my heart, the way I should make decisions.
When I got home, Mike said that he thought it was some sort of ornament, not jewelry. But was happy to put the money in my account to cover the cost.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer about a year-and-a-half later I posted about it on the TBAH Student Community FaceBook group before I even told some of my family members. The designer responded back that she was a breast cancer survivor and if I needed anything I should reach out. That was the point that I decided that I was meant to have that necklace and it was my “horse angel”. Since Mike died it now has more meaning than ever. I now wear it most days, sometimes with t-shirts.
At that time, I was a little reluctant to discuss the breast cancer with other women who had been through treatment because I felt like I needed to make my own decisions and not be influenced by the experiences of others. This is hard because I inevitably came across people who would give me unsolicited advice based on their experiences.
The purple side of the “horse angel”.
The coaching method that I was learning is co-active, meaning that the client has the answers and the coach guides the client to find their answers. This was the type of relationship that I wanted to have with my doctors. I wanted them to guide me to find the treatment that was best for me.
My niche for Equine Gestalt Coaching is to help doctors, caregivers, and patients communicate better. For several months before I was diagnosed, I had been listening to many books about how doctors make decisions and communicate with patients. After I was diagnosed I listened to a book that I had on my wishlist called “Critical Decisions: How You and Your Doctor Can Make the Right Medical Choices Together” by Peter A Ubel, MD. I recommend it to anyone who is dealing with this type of decision.
I also recommend that you keep your own version of your “horse angel” close at all times. As well as making your decisions based on the best type for your personality.
Every time they Play That Song I think of you.
Onward! Nostalgia And Water
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