I really miss my pony, haven't seen him for a while

From time to time, people
tell me,
“lighten up; it’s just a horse,”
or, “that’s a lot of money for just a horse.”

They don’t understand
the distance traveled, the
time spent,
or the costs involved for
“just a horse.”

Some of my proudest moments
have come about with
“just a horse.”

Many hours have passed
and my only company was
“just a horse,”
but I did not once feel
lonely.

Some of my saddest moments
have been brought by
“just a horse,”
and in those days of darkness,
the gentle touch of
“just a horse”
gave me comfort and reason to overcome
the day.

If you, too think it’s
“just a horse,”
then you probably understand phrases like
“just a friend,” “just a sunrise,”
or “just a promise.”

“Just a horse”
brings the very essence of friendship,
trust,
and pure joy.

“Just a horse”
brings out the compassion
and patience that make me a better person.

Because of
“just a horse”
I will rise early, take long walks
and look longingly into the future.

So for me and folks like me,
it’s not
“just a horse,”
but all the hopes and dreams of the future,
the fond memories of the past, and the pure
joy of the moment.
“Just a horse”
brings out what’s good in me and diverts
my attention away from myself and all
the worries of the day.

I hope that someday they will
understand its not
“just a horse,”
but the thing that gives me humanity
and keeps me from being
“just a woman.”

So the next time you hear the phrase
“just a horse,”
just smile, because they “just” don’t
understand.