view sourceprint? 01 Ramblings from a Ranch Wife: Mama's Broken Heart

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"The darkest nights produce the brightest stars"
~


Sunday, November 10, 2013

Mama's Broken Heart

The boys watched Black Beauty the other night.  I won't watch the movie.  I'm afraid it will be too different from the book by Anna Sewell, and frankly, the book makes me cry.  (If you've spent your entire life under a rock and are unfamiliar with the story, here is a little recap: "As a young horse, Black Beauty is well-loved and happy. But when his owner is forced to sell him, his life changes drastically. He has many new owners--some of them cruel and some of them kind. All he needs is someone to love him again...
Whether pulling an elegant carriage or a ramshackle cab, Black Beauty tries to live as best he can. This is his amazing story, told as only he could tell it.").  So I hid out upstairs, trying not to think about it.

Here is a trailer to the movie:


When the movie ended QT came upstairs and found me, on the verge of tears.  I asked "What's the matter?"  With a slight stutter and quivering lip he told me "Ginger died," and with that he broke down into sobs.  I did my best (not to start crying myself, and) to explain that while it was very sad that she died, it was just a story and not real life.  That seemed to make things a little better, so with a big hug, I sent him on his way to get ready for bed.

I heard TR sobbing before I found him.  He grabbed me in a big bear hug and wouldn't let go.  I asked him "Are you upset about Ginger too?"  He nodded and told me between sobs "Ginger is dead and they didn't take very good care of her."  If the boys being upset that Ginger died bothered me, TR's comment broke my heart.  I want them to think there is good in the world and not to notice all of the bad just yet.  I want them to think everyone takes care of their animals like mom and dad do, and nobody or animal anywhere is mistreated.

I tried again to explain to him that it was just a story and not real life, which he understood.  It just really bothered him that the horse was mistreated.  I told him that I was proud of him for realizing that Ginger was mistreated and that he knew that it was wrong to treat any animal like that.  I shared with him this quote from Black Beauty, which is actually one of my favorite quotes ever:   “My doctrine is this, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.”  ~Anna Sewell  I tried my best to explain to him that we should always try to prevent wrong doing when we see it because if we don't, we are just as wrong as the wrong doer.  

I am happy that they are growing up and able to comprehend what they are seeing and hearing, and willing to come to me when something bothers them.  I'm glad (to an extent) that they cried when Ginger died.  It tells me that they are compassionate and hope nothing ever happens to change that!

The Cowboss and I are currently compiling a list of movies and books to not watch or read with the boys.  So far it includes Where the Red Fern Grows and Old Yeller.  Please let me know if you have any other suggestions of sad stories to avoid.  This mama can't handle too much of this!

4 comments:

  1. My kids were both crying during Marley & Me. Gene had just put his dog down a few months earlier and I had just put my best old cat down. Lots of Kleenex later we had our 3rd talk in 3 months about loving to the fullest then letting go. At 7 and 4 it was a tough conversation, but they know how to take care of an animal, how amazing they are, how they fill your heart with love and that those facts are why you keep getting more animals only to break your heart in the end for one reason or another. As sad as it made me as a mom, I'm glad they understand so they can grow up loving, caring and aware. Good job, Mama! Those boys will grow up understanding life and be good, honest, caring citizens.

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  2. Good boys you have there!You are doing a great job.I saw Old Yeller when I was probally 6,never have been able to watch it again.Have you ever seen Casyes Shadow?Its about a poor Cajun QH race horse trainer that ends up qualifying a colt for the AllAmerican futurity at Ruidosa.Wonderful movie but his sons Shetland is killed by some people trying to poison the race horse.They had raised the colt on the little Shetland mare.Im tearing up now thinking about it!I saw it in the 70s as a little girl,and a few years ago on tv .Just bought a DVD off of AMazon.Also the Rare Breed with Jimmy Stewart.About the first Herefords introduced ,the bull Vindicator doesn't make a horrible winter bout the following spring,lots of little bald faced calves.Kinda bad when a bull dyin gets to ya!By the way how in the world do you keep your rat terrier (whats his name by the way)warm up in your cold country?Here in North Texas mine shiver all the time when they are outside when Im at work on cold days.Actually looking at an insulated dog house maybe with a heat lamp

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    Replies
    1. I love all of those movies! I have a vhs copy of Casey's Shadow I'm going to have to whip out and watch with the boys, and just fast forward past the part where the pony dies!

      SiSi is pretty spoiled, she lives in the house with us and I am horrible I know, I let her burrow under the covers early in the morning when she gets cold! I have several jackets that she wears when it is cold outside, if she goes outside for more than 5 minutes. =)

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