A horse suddenly came galloping down the road. It seemed as though the rider had somewhere important to go.
Another man, who was standing along the road, shouted, “Where are you going?”
The man on the horse replied, “I don’t know. Ask the horse!”
This is a short but well-known Zen story with a powerful meaning behind it. The horse symbolizes our habits. The story explains the way we usually live, at the mercy of our old, well established habits and mindless activities within routine surroundings…not by our intentional actions. The horse is pulling us along, running us here and there and hurrying everywhere, and we don’t even know why.
If we stopped to ask ourselves from time to time why exactly we’re running around so much, we might get the answer (but it’s never a very good one) that it is because we’ve always done it this way. We are just used to it. It’s how we’ve learned to live. As much as the horse carries us about, it gets us nowhere. We need to learn how to take back the reins and let the horse know who’s boss.
Too often, we become like the greenhorn rider, allowing ourselves to mindlessly go wherever our habits take us. The philosophy of “we have always done it that way” does not allow for growth and change. Each of us has the power to change, to take back the reins of our life and be in control. I am the boss of me. I’ve always been the boss of me, and I am going act like it.
Saddle up, buckaroos, grip the reins of your life firmly, take the trail you think best and enjoy your ride!
I care, Barb
By Guest April 19, 2016
We do need to gain that strength to take back the reins and be in control. Most of us are smart enough to know what to eat, what not to eat. We know we should be exercising..what alot don’t get is building your strength to fight those urges for junk food, urges to over-eat and the strength to go exercise, walk or just move other than sit still. That’s why we need to be more of a support to each other, encourage our TOPS Family to keep moving to stay on track…
By Barb Cady April 18, 2016
I so agree! We have the power to change in our hands and we can use it!
By Teri A. Lopes April 18, 2016
I love this story… so true. When I fall back into habits prior to TOPS I end up going no where but up on the scales. When I am in charge and take control of my eating, exercise and life I get somewhere I want to be! So I am sailing up and riding with you! See you in May!
Teri Lopes Salem, Oregon
By Guest April 18, 2016
I was just having thoughts about this subject matter yesterday after attending VA’s SRD.
If WE ALL tried thinking differently we could raise the TOPS membership in every state.