Community is key. Without community, what do we have? We are wired for relationships. The word ‘relationship’ has come to be linked to being in a couple, in a partnership. But we are surrounded by relationships – with our family, our friends, our work colleagues. Our horses, our dogs, our cats, our pets. The person who cuts our hair, or who serves us at the garage, or who shows us to our seat at the cinema.

It’s so easy to get lost in the busy-ness of today. To forget to make time to connect with those around us. To bypass that phone call, or that smile, or sending that get well card. To ignore our need to spend time with other people, relaxing, laughing, enjoying.

These flowers were from someone who cares, as do so many, and as do I, about keeping in touch. About working together, and trading skills. About sharing time, and knowledge, and experience. I am privileged to share my life with close friends and distant acquaintances, with those I’ve known for years and with those who I’ve only ever had a brief phone call with and never met in person.

I put in the effort to maintain friendships, and as I grow older, putting in this effort becomes ever more important to me. My community is my support network, and we’re in it together for the long term.

Thank you to all those who make my life the joy that it is.

P.s. I don’t think I should give up the day job to start a new career in flower arranging! Or in photography, for that matter! But you get the gist of it!

Keep an eye out for my next book, ‘Recognising Pain in Ridden Horses: Performance, Partnership and Potential’, co-authored with Dr Sue Dyson, published by J A Allen, due 2023. Sign up at www.recognisingpaininriddenhorses.co.uk to be kept up to date with new information as it comes available. Watch a FREE 30-minute documentary on recognising pain in ridden horses here.

Here’s a FREE 30-minute presentation by Sue Palmer on how to recognise pain in your horse.

Other books by Sue Palmer M.Sc. MCSP:

‘Horse Massage for Horse Owners’

‘Understanding Horse Performance: Brain, Pain or Training?’

© Sue Palmer, The Horse Physio, 2022