Terlingua Moon: A Tribute to Mary
by Shannon King
Running under moonlight, hooves pounding. Roads bright against the dark, lighting our way. I lose my hat. Then finally, rain.
I can’t see forward anymore and forget who I am. Losing sight of what’s real. The wind reminds me and I wish it would storm.
Obscured by dust one mountain becomes two. I am small in this world, sometimes frail. Knowing it lives without me, secrets at every turn – my only job to cultivate surprise.
Moving forward, we choose our steps carefully, trying not to think about where this ride will end. Focusing only on the path.
This horse breeds freedom, the night gives to me without knowing, and the desert seduces. “Leave it all behind,” they say. And I want to... I believe.
For “what does the world mean to you if you cannot trust it to go on shining when you’re not there?” - Mary Oliver
After traveling and horseback riding the many regions of Texas, Shannon King decided to make the Big Bend area her home. Now an empty nester, Shannon continues to ride and travel, focusing on preserving the local natural beauty, including the Chihuahuan Desert and Big Bend’s wild burros. Shannon’s hope is to inspire other women to have the confidence to pursue their dreams and live their best life! You can read more of Shannon’s experiences on her public Facebook blog Confessions of a Saddle Tramp.
Shannon is also a Board member and Editor for the Chihuahuan Desert Education Coalition.