Whoops

The Tao of the Whoops

***Audio sample*** (scroll down for full audio)

Holding on is believing there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future. ~ Daphne Rose Kingma

Whoops is a word you’ll hear fairly often in the company of equestrians. It may be whispered, giggled or yelled, and sometimes, it may be accompanied by a squeak, a grunt and the thud of a body meeting the ground in a less than graceful manner, followed by some words I’d rather not repeat in this setting or in front of my parents.

Whoops covers a multitude of mishaps, mistakes, unfortunate choices and general idiocy, something we humans are all too often, all too eager to put on display when in the company of large animals that, with no actual intention of doing so, may leave us fairly bruised and battered.

I’ve learned to say whoops with alacrity and use it as a sort of catch-all. Whoops, that didn’t go as planned. Whoops, didn’t get the memo. Whoops, there goes that idea. As long as I can find a reason to laugh, I can make it through the experience with some sanity in my pocket.