A walk in the park: Horses on the Heath & healing the HSP soul

I’d spent too much time hunched and scrunched in front of the screen. My fingers had done plenty of walking all over the keyboard but my body had been rooted too long in the same spot and my eyes focused too long in one direction.

I needed new pens and to get my eye glasses fixed (they were just that bit too big for me and kept slipping off down my nose every time I looked down!) So, despite the winter chill I headed out and it turned out to be my lucky day; the pens were on BOGOF (buy one get one free) offer mode and my spectacles, still being new, are being replaced under guarantee by a brand new pair. Free!

On the way back I took the bus all the way to the Heath. I’d bought a few groceries so was carrying shopping but the sunshine and the opportunity for a walk outdoors before it gets even colder this weekend lured me onwards.

Up ahead of me were two riders on horses – I think probably police horses but they were too far ahead for me to see and the riders were wearing hi-visibility jackets so I couldn’t see if they were in uniform. One of the horses got mildly spooked for a moment – I think by a dog – and did a pirouette before being brought back under control. I wanted to catch up with them but even though they stopped for that circle and then moved on only slowly, they were too far ahead for me to reach them. I could hear them though – that comforting sound of horses hooves hiking as in the childhood song – “horsey, horsey don’t you stop, just let your feet go clippetty-clop…” It was delightful in the late afternoon sunlight.

And my stressful day (few days) was beginning to melt away.

I walked some more, sticking to the footpaths because of the muddy puddles on the grassland – up the hill and down the hill and round back to near where I started. I took this photo whilst sitting on a park bench to tie the laces of my boots which had come undone. Like too many of us, I couldn’t resist a quick look at my phone and spotted messages on whatsapp. My brother had sent me a photo of what looks like one of the lemon trees in his garden – (he lives in warmer climes!) with the caption “Gardener came to prune”. It looks like he chopped down the whole tree – lemons and all!

At the time of writing this, I don’t know if it was intentional but I was horrified. I love the lemon tree! So a bit bereft, I looked up and spotted the bare trees of a London winter and kind of wondering what I was doing here in the cold.

Bootlace duly tied I continued my descent heading for home – it was getting too cold.

At one moment I stopped…
Everything seemed to stop. Even the usually noisy seagulls were still and silent. I looked up at the blue sky, the bright luminous sunlight as the sun started hanging lower but yet still full and yellow in the sky. I looked up at yet more trees with still bare branches… and I just felt …

I can’t really say what but it was a magical, mystical, enchanted, spiritual moment. The light was stunning. The silence so peaceful. Like a moment frozen in time. Enchanted. Like being in my very own Harry Potter moment.

And I thought, this is a reason why I love my HSP life.

Yes, life can be challenging at times. Uncertainties and overwhelms can rain down and make you fearful.

And then the resolute call to self-care takes you to where you need to be. And heals you.

With horses and trees and blue skies and spring flowers. In winter sunshine. As if by magic.

With love,
© Annie Wigman