Today I Rode a Horse.

The title says it all. Perhaps it would make for a more interesting story if I did not immediately give it away however, I feel there is more worth telling.

Today I rode a horse. I don't think my job would appreciate it if I began representing them in a public space without going through the proper channels and seeking the approval needed to actually publicly begin representing them. In this case, I will simply say I work in the field of conservation. So at my job the opportunity to ride a horse arose and I clearly took it up.

I have never rode a horse before. It was quite generous of those folk who work in that department to give me the opportunity. They didn't really have to train me, or calm me down. I was not anxious about it in the slightest. If I knew one thing, it was that anxiety translates into the horse being anxious about you getting on its back. So I remained calm, hopped up on its back, and learned the basics of horse riding. There was not much to it.

That was it. Why do I bring any of this up? I think this loops into a much larger philosophy. I have tried a lot of new things as of recently just to gain some perspective on a hobby, field, or even sometimes a food. It didn't always mean that it became my new favorite thing, but it did always force me to learn something new. Although, sometimes I did discover a new passion in my life. Hockey and painting are just some examples of what I learned I had a passion for purely because I decided to give something new a try.

I was very stubborn as a child. I never cared for trying new things, I only ever wanted more of the same. Honestly, that was just sitting at home and playing video games. Sports were boring, art was boring, I did not even find pleasure in reading. How could anyone enjoy those mundane hobbies? I am almost certain that if I could travel back in time my past self would never believe the things I like today. I have spent a lot of time thinking about what changed. I don't know if I could even give a clear answer on such. Here is my best attempt.

Trying something new is a skill even if you don't like it. I think this last part is extremely important to the overall argument. As a person you could never enjoy everything the world has to offer. It is simply impossible. However, that does not mean you can't at least respect everything in the world. I also think that the former part is important as well. Anxiety about the unknown is inevitable. It is scary to try a new thing!

However, I think the scarier thought is that people are too fearful of the unknown and would much rather ignore such a thing. It is why I truly believe trying something new is a skill you gain over time. After a while you won’t fear it anymore.