I feel like I've jumped off a cliff on the back of a mountain-bred horse. If you've ever seen a movie called "The Man From Snowy River"--a jewel and a treasure, I assure you--you'll know what I'm talking about. It's about an Australian horseman named Jim who comes from the rough-and-tumble high country seeking love and employment in the civilized flatlands. (I must now openly confess to a girlish adoration of all things equine and/or desperately romantic.) When his employer/prospective father-in-law loses a prized colt to a band of wild horses (called the Brumbies by the locals), Jim must ride side-by-side with trained huntsmen on the trail of the horses.
After a series of shots of thundering hooves and hallooing riders, it seems that the low-landers have wrangled the mob, and the day is won. But at the crack of a whip, the horde is off again, this time heading for the mountains. In the end, they careen off the edge of an incredibly steep slope, and the riders pull up short. Except for Jim. Born for mountain riding, he and his horse follow without hesitation. Gravity and shining confidence pull them in a dramatic slow-motion descent to their ultimate glory.
And that's me. I'm on the back of that horse, plunging over the edge that would seem insane if I didn't know that I was born to race down its slopes. I've spent much of the past months trying to be like the civilized horsemen, keeping my wild eagerness and excitement in the even plains. I've trotted nervously around the edges of the mob with the restrained aplomb of a civilized adult. But the Brumbies were just biding their time until they could bolt for the highlands. With ten days left until the wedding, I feel no hesitation; I thrill to the chase and cast a hasty farewell to the level ground.
When the chase comes to an end, the power and majesty of the runaway pack will be mine to harness and train for the long, sweet work of marriage. In the meantime, let the low-landers shake their careful heads. I am gone.
(Here's a link to the scene in question: The Descent)
