Bright Sun, Bright Star

It is the morning of the Summer Solstice. I rose early (for me) and padded sleepily outside to say good morrow to the sun. It shone brightly through a layering of clouds and as I raised my hands to the bright star, light rain drops began to fall on my skin and my clothes, touching my hair with a circlet of radiance.

When I was a little girl, my (arguably) favorite horse book, from so many, was Serilda's Star... It told the story of a young girl living around 1890 who "rescues" a starving mare from the knacker. The mare, under careful love, becomes this glorious beauty that Serilda could not be more proud of... the mare's name, of course, is Star. It's a beautiful story of the connection between a girl and horses, and I can't begin to tell you how many times I went through those pages, heart full from the love so elegantly put into words.

We weren't sure it was even going to happen - because apparently horse transport companies are very unreliable nowadays - but my own Star arrives at noon today.

Like the mare in the book, Star originates from a not so good situation. He was an Amish horse that worked for his daily oats harder than most horses can imagine working in this day and age. He's only twelve, but he's already gaunt and bony, showing age and wear on his noble features with a calm patience that fills my heart with this expectation... Amish horses are far from pets - do the Amish ever bond with their horses? Has Star ever had a gentle hand pass over his namesake's marking, fingers brushing against it in love and a deep rooted bond that only he and that person shares?

I'm breathless with anticipation... I'm nervous and excited and my heart has never beat so fast. I see him at five today... oh, how will the hours pass? I feel like a schoolgirl, waiting for that final hour to turn, so I can dash out of the schoolhouse for the summer - laughing and running and shouting until my heart bursts from the sheer joy of being.

Welcome, summer. Welcome, Star! Please, hours, pass!