Pony up!

My dad has a little pony that he "got for the grandkids." Yeah, right. Dad wanted the pony because he wanted the cart that goes with it, along with the lead and the bridle and the peace of mind he gets just knowing there is a pony on his little piece of land.
So we got the pony cart out on a day when September was offering up it's finest and one by one, the pony hauled around the grandkids and a few adults. He was done being a showman by the time I got my turn and refused some simple instructions. My dad was chuckling because "he's an animal, not a machine" and the boys "get so frustrated when he doesn't do what he's s'posed to...just like kids, huh?" and I was laughing along with dad.

To say my dad hasn't always had it easy is an understatement, yet he is steadfast in his willingness to seek out the things that make him happy.

Even if I don't get it...old tractors and ponies past their prime, he loves them all with a dedication that I only seem to have for my kids and books.

Different things keep people going. Who am I to judge what makes people happy even when I want to? All I know is that my dad can still laugh and smile despite an anxious and sometimes heavy heart. And for that I say bring on the tractors and the ponies....just don't bring them to my house.