The Stuff of Bucket Lists and Dreams

I think I started my bucket list back in middle school at some point.  I started making a list of things I wanted to accomplish, see or do in my lifetime.  Own a Great Dane. Travel to Italy, Ireland, and a host of other corners of the world.  Learn how to shoot a gun.  Learn how to drive a stick.  Go to the Kentucky Derby.  It's a random assortment of things and I have filled several pages since starting that list, with each year things getting added and checked off. 

Riding horses on the beach had been on the list for quite a while.  I don't know that I had a specific place in mind, I just wanted to ride horses on the beach somewhere on planet earth. 

The possibility presented itself when I was making plans for my New Zealand trip.  I dismissed the idea after awhile, though, because the place where I looked was too far away and transportation was going to be a problem because I didn't want to have to rent a car.  I was a little bummed about the fact that it probably wouldn't work out after all, but I let it go. 

While in New Caledonia, I had mentioned to one of the staff members with Cru, Don, who was based in Auckland along with his wife and son, that I had been wanting to go riding on the beach but would probably have to pass on the opportunity.  He offered and said they would actually like to go too, so why don't we all just go together?  He didn't have to work hard at convincing me. 

So, that weekend when I arrived in Auckland, we made plans to head to the beach that Sunday. They would pick me up downtown where I was staying and then mosey on over to Muriwai beach, on the west coast of New Zealand.  His wife, Melody, said the west coast was much more "wild and woolly" than the east coast of the island.

She wasn't kidding. 

It was rugged terrain, with the cliffs just dropping off into the ocean.  The roar of the waves could be heard from a distance and the sand was charcoal black, proof of the island's volcanic history. My eyes watered on occasion from the salty air.

It happened to be somewhat chilly that day, something I hadn't really factored in when packing.  The wind was blowing off the ocean, dropping the temperatures even more.  By the time we got around to riding, I had managed to bundle into a pair of jeans with leggings underneath, a long sleeve shirt, a fleece jacket, my ScottE Vest, a windbreaker and scarf.  I was just wishing I had earmuffs and gloves. Probably not the wisest idea to go riding on the beach when it's in the middle of the winter in the Southern Hemisphere. 

But you throw caution to the wind in pursuit of your bucket list, right?

It felt good to be on the back of a horse again, at least mentally.  My body was saying otherwise, though.  I think it had been at least 5 years since I had last ridden and probably another 6 years before that.  And there have been a whole lot of back problems since then so I had fleeting moments when I thought to myself, "My doctor would probably not be very happy to know I'm doing this right now."  Especially after the horrific pain I had gone through this past spring and the fact that I was still experiencing some troubles. But thankfully, I made it through the ride somewhat pain-free.  Minus the protest from my knees from having my stirrups too short.  

When we got to the end, some storm clouds had rolled in and rain splattered my face.  But a picture-perfect reminder greeted me when I went to climb down from the flea-bitten gray mare, a sweet closing to what had been a sweet two weeks of life.  I looked up and there was a full rainbow stretched across the sky.  It was just the reminder I needed, a reminder that God's faithful, his promises are true.  

And I was living my dreams.       

 

Picture-perfect ending to my bucket list ride

 

Me, Don, Melody and Jack getting ready to ride