Student Created Discussion Question Answer

Katie Hines

11/5/2012

Block 4

Student Created Discussion Question

Question: 27. What is your tunnel? Do you have any desire to share it?

            When the first beams of golden sunlight touch fields of tall grass, when I run my fingers through long manes, when I breathe in the scent of fresh grain and hay, I am in my tunnel. There is peace, serenity, for I am one with the world. I am in a place where I belong, where I can be me. I do not have to worry about what I look like or what others think of me. I do not have to worry about standing out or seeming stupid. With one gentle touch of a tender muzzle, I am myself once again; I am home, I am home.

            Sharing my special world with others is often difficult. Where I see lush, green pastures, others see the perfect land for a shopping center wasted. Where I see the sun hiding behind the thunderous clouds, others see the rain storm. But my tunnel is not complete alone. I cannot help but beam with pride at my little horses, plodding happily along with a little girl smiling with glee atop her brave mount. The happiness I have acquired from being with horses would be selfish to keep to myself. So many other people can be changed forever by these amazing creatures. Horses save lives; they saved mine.

            For my tunnel, I wake up every morning at the crack of dawn to clean stalls and feed my slightly overweight ponies. For my tunnel, I lug water buckets, filled to the brim out to the corner of the pasture, so that Lena can drink…a certain someone (a someone named Blue) won’t let the poor mare drink from the regular tub. For my tunnel, I spend countless hours in the saddle and have pulsing blisters on my heels. For my tunnel, I’d do almost anything to protect it, for my tunnel protects me.