April wine…

The boy thought he would never catch a star…

Just then he noticed something floating in the water…

It was the prettiest star he had ever seen…

Just a baby star…

It must have fallen from the sky…

—  in How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers

I took Starshine and Little Gem,

for a cheap skate,

at Trout Lake,

a few weeks ago…

It was my second time,

back on the ice,

since the great fall of 2009…

As I strapped on my helmet,

cage and all,

a mom from the girls’ school,

who was there with her three boys,

said,

something like,

You look serious,

and intimidating with that on…

Is it really necessary for a public skate???

I said,

The core message that I want to get across,

at all times,

in all situations,

is the primacy of safety,

and protection…

And foremost,

that I’m not to be messed with…

She swallowed,

nodded,

and took to the ice,

pushing her youngest in a stroller,

around the rink,

with the rest of us…

I attended a clinic,

for minis,

and Jonathan Field spoke,

repeatedly,

about what is most important,

to a horse…

He said,

things like,

They don’t care about being called,

by name,

receiving praise,

or material things…

What they want is safety,

comfort,

and play…

And if you,

establish yourself,

as the consistent provider,

of those things,

that they need,

and want,

with honesty,

then your horses,

will look to you,

as their leader,

with no questions asked…

I’m not sure,

where Manny Maholtra is,

right now,

but as I sit here,

in Ryan Kesler’s tunic,

waiting for him to call,

I know,

that when the swelling goes down,

and the fluid drains away,

he may find,

he’s still not ready for the ice,

but he’ll definitely be,

ready for,

seeing things,

in such a way,

that he can never go back,

to being,

exactly where he was,

before the puck,

hit the fan…

And he’ll be all,

the stronger,

for it…

Sitting,

with a blind eye,

and trusting,

the unfolding,

of possibility,

even when it feels like,

you’re not in the driver seat,

is an exercise,

beyond comprehension…

But it’s the way things,

really are…

And when,

the opportunity,

for direct perception,

does its number on you,

the face-off percentage,

of infinity,

is just,

a shot away…