"I saw a child who couldn't walk, sit on a horse and laugh and talk. I saw a child who could only crawl, mount a horse and sit up tall. I saw a child born into strife, take up and hold the reins of life. And that same child was heard to say, thank you God, for showing me the way." - John Anthony Davis
In high school, people often ask us what we want to be when we grow up. They ask us what we would like to study when we go away to college. Some people have an idea of what they would like to be from the time they are young. I had ideas, but nothing ever stuck. At one time, I wanted to go to vet school, but I gave up on that when I realized that there was math involved. Another idea was to become an athletic trainer. That idea lasted maybe a few months before I gave up on it as well.
In the two years between my junior year of high school and my freshman year of college, I had become interested in the idea of therapeutic horsemanship for special needs children and people with other emotional disabilities. I knew from experience how happy horses could make people, but I didn't actually realize that there was an entire field dedicated to this type of therapy. It was in learning all I could about therapeutic horsemanship that I found Judson College and their equine department.
My first trip to Judson College was in November of 2012. It's hard to look back and believe that four years ago was the first time I would step on the campus I have come to see as my second home. One of the first things I did on that visit was speak with some of the professors about the different majors offered. I spoke with several different professors and nothing seemed to hit home. Nothing caught my eye and none of the majors sounded like something I could suffer through for a grand total of four years. That was when I found Psychology and Equine Science.
The only reason I initially gave the Psychology table a second glance was because the major also offered an emphasis in Equine Facilitated Mental Health.
After much thought and discussion, the plan was to go to Judson and major in Psychology with an emphasis on Equine Facilitated Mental Health. It seemed like the perfect plan, I could work towards my new goal of being a therapeutic riding instructor and at the same time get the schooling necessary to become a counselor. Wrong.
After a full year, I knew that something was missing. I couldn't put my finger on it; I loved all my classes and my professors were great. So, why was something off? It just wasn't working out the way I expected it to. The missing piece of the puzzle was unexpected: become a double major. Being a double major meant much more work and many more late nights, but it has given me such a sense of pride. Pride in being able to complete the tasks set before me. It has also humbled me. I am the type of person who doesn't want to feel like I haven't got it under control. Being a double major taught me that sometimes you have to feel a little out of control. It just means you're getting it right.
It took a full year of living out the wrong plan for me to figure out what God had in store for me. He had His perfect plan and I just wasn't listening. I was too persistent on doing it my way. However, I needed that year to truly appreciate the path my life has now taken. I needed to do it wrong in order to get it right.
So, understand that it's OK to get it wrong sometimes. You don't have to live out this perfect plan in your head as soon as you leave high school. I certainly didn't.
