Horsey Folks

Sunday, December 24, 2023

Happy Christmas Eve!

Finally, at last, it’s here. Coming next are the bills. I’ve left all my earned money from working part-time there at the store.

Last spring, I was starting to dress and attend the wedding of my friend, Enrique, when I couldn’t find absolutely anything wearable for a special occasion. While carefully considering this, I understood that I was clueless about appropriate special clothing to shop for.

The problem is/was, I’m a horseperson.

Most horsepeople don’t shop. We spend our time outside–in the cold, rain, and/or snow; and otherwise, out sweating in the summer heat. We wear the oldest clothes, often with holes, and wear boots comfortable, with soles worn and caked with you-know-what. We fall in exhausted at bedtime, and maybe still wearing the rags with holes we were in all day.

That’s the long and short of things–we’re busy, too preoccupied to go shopping for non-necessities. And, too, our social gatherings are beyond casual; we wear (clean) rags with holes. Our gatherings are not to judge but to swap stories, collaborate, and support one another.

After my aha moments of searching for something wearable for a special occasion, I began pushing myself toward working in retail sales, particularly clothing. I wished to learn about the world of contemporary fashion and maybe update my wardrobe.

I have learned and updated. So, my earned money stays where I earned it. I’m also relearning how to use a needle and thread. And I have knocked the dust off a long-disused sewing machine.

Tomorrow, I am planning to enjoy a Christmas dinner with my horsey friends. We will be dressed casually (and this time maybe minus clothing holes). As an aside, I feel pretty good knowing that if an occasion calls more for formality, I’m ready.

Dear Friends: This is my story of achieving a full-circle success this year. Diana