Do you believe in Angels?
What do you mean ... 'They don't exist!' ?????
Of course they do!
It's just that, most of the time, we don't realise what they truly are.
That's because Angels only let you see them when the time is right !
Every once in a while there comes a time when there are just too many Angels in heaven. So ... instead of running out of room, the Angels agreed that, every so often, one of them would come back to Earth, to watch over us, and to help.
The Angels knew they would be very busy indeed if they all came back to Earth looking like Angels so they made a plan. They decided to disguise themselves, so that they could concentrate on helping those who really needed them the most.
Some of the Angels chose to return to Earth as people and some chose to return as animals ... and the plan worked! In fact, it worked so well that most of those they helped never even realised they had met an Angel at all.
You see, often the only way you can really spot an Angel is the way that they are with the rest of the world. Often, it's not what they do, but what they don't do, that makes them stand out.
Angels give instead of take, they listen instead of hear, they communicate instead of talk, they smile instead of frown, they heal instead of hurt and they love instead of judging.
But, best of all, when things are really bad and you think that nothing good will ever happen again ... they come into your life and turn it upside down - for the better!
One day, in April 2008, the Angels decided that Heaven was getting a bit too full again. So, to make a bit more room in Heaven they sent us our very first Angel Horse, Maddie.
Maddie and Dawn - Summer 2008
Unbeknown to Dawn, The Angels had sent Maddie to her for a special reason. Maddie was sent to help Dawn through a very tough time in her life.This became a time where even Dawn had given up on herself. Maddie was sent to show Dawn that she had the strength to do what was needed, even though Dawn did not believe it herself.
Maddie gave Dawn a reason to literally get up every day and to fight on. Maddie also showed Dawn and Hayley that there is always a better way 'to be', both with horses and people, if only you open your heart, and mind, and look for it.
Maddie taught Dawn and Hayley to never take 'no' for an answer, even if it was from those who ought to know better.She taught them to have the courage and determination to explore and follow new ways and ideas to help both their horse and human friends, and to carry on through to the end, no matter how hard the road is.
Maddie's greatest gift was to teach compassion and humility by opening the hearts and minds of everyone who knew her.
Maddie showed everyone that it is good enough sometimes just
'to be, instead of do' .... and that is is always good enough to be your true self.
On 15th November 2010 the Angels decided that Maddie had done the work they sent her to Earth to do and it was time for her to go home. This was Dawn's biggest test. Had she learnt the lessons in strength and self belief that Maddie had been sent to teach her? More importantly, did she love Maddie enough to let her go home even though it would break Dawn's heart ?
Yes, she did.
Dawn and Hayley knew there would never be another Maddie, but there would always be other horses for them to love and help. They knew that neither Maddie, nor the Angels who sent her, would let them waste all the valuable lessons Maddie had taught them. They also knew that she would continue to send other horses, and people, to them.
They didn't know, however, that Maddie would send other horses along quite so soon!
But .... as these special horses do .... along they came anyway ...!
Please remember Maddie in your prayers.
A poem for everyone who has lost a special horse ......
Author unknown
' When the sun hides it's face from us, and the night comes.
You see stars appear in the navy blue night.
...These are not your ordinary stars.
They are the stars in the eyes of horses old and young
that have gone from the earth to a better place.
So if you have ever lost a horse, always remember,
...every night when darkness falls over the sky and the stars come out,
Their Eyes are watching over you.
They watch the foals come into the world,
and they watch over their owners who loved them so.
When you miss the horses that have left you ,
look into the sky and remember them;
Because they are watching over you ..... always,
Take comfort, because they are up there watching and waiting for you'.