| Prince is a handsome, chestnut-colored Missouri Fox Trotter horse. The relationship between Prince and his owner, Maridee Williams, is a beautiful story. His owner is a businesswoman with a demanding schedule. However, scheduling time with Prince is one of the top priorities on her to-do list each week. They spend enough time together such that she not only knows what to expect from him, but Prince knows what to expect from her. I asked Maridee, “How has your relationship with Prince most impacted your life?” She said, “When I was going through 3 weeks of intense physical therapy, I was asked what my therapy goal was. Without thinking, I said ‘To ride my horse again.’ He was my motivation to get better.” Maridee continued, “He is incredibly intelligent and sensitive. After my illness, he seemed to sense I wasn’t the same rider. He was extra careful about standing still when I got on. He carried me carefully. He is a kind horse who wants to do the right thing.” The depth of Prince and his owner’s relationship makes me think about the strong capacity deep within each of us for the treasure of meaningful relationships. How do relationships become meaningful? There are many lists and books about how to develop meaningful relationships, but one of my favorite suggestions is to learn to laugh. As we know, laughter is contagious. One writer has the idea that besides being beneficial for your overall health and how you may feel about yourself, laughter could also strengthen our relationships by triggering positive feelings and fostering emotional connection. What about those times we don’t feel like laughing? I love a quotation by Ralph Waldo Emerson, “The earth laughs in flowers.” The times I don’t feel like laughing, I look around at God’s beautiful creation. It prompts me to ask Him to restore my joy, my laughter. I’ve learned that because God provided a way for me to become His friend, I can feel positive about myself because He feels positive about me. He sees all the strands of potential that He knit me together within my mother’s womb (Ps. 139). I can then reach out to others in a meaningful way. He will once again fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. (Job 8:21 NLT) Arlette Revells (Photo Credit: Maridee Williams) |
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