When I was a little girl, I spent
many hours with my grandmother. Both my parents were working and I was the only
child at the time. I did everything with my Grandma Annabell. We were like salt
and pepper, peanut butter and jelly, or frybread with stew. We would herd sheep
for hours and make our own roads in her sturdy 86’ Jimmy. The first time I fell
in love, it was with my grandmother.
Grandma Anna and I would follow
after Cheii ( my grandfather) as he rode his horse four miles behind a huge
mountain. He would look for the cows that leisurely wandered off from the herd.
It took him two hours to round the bovines back to the cow corral. I was five
at the time of this excursion. My grandma and I met him back there. I ran from
the Jimmy into the corral to give my Cheii hugs, but soon to find myself face
to face with a momma heifer. I was
shaking in my fake leather boots as she stared me down. Behind me was her baby
and I knew she was going to go through me to get to her calf. I still remember
the crazy look in her eyes has she aimed her horns for my little body. I closed
my eyes, and all of a sudden, I felt limp.
In the brink of time my Cheii
scooped me up with his tan, muscular arms. When I opened my eyes, it felt like
I was flying. My long braid was flapping in the wind and my eyes were tearing.
When my Cheii pulled his steed to a halt, I could hear my grandmother yelling, “Dooajiniida!”
(You don’t do that!) But all I could look at was this animal I was sitting on
top of. I have seen a horse before, but I have never ridden one. I looked at my
Cheii, in his Peabody Mining hat, and said, “I was just trying to give you
hugs.” His throaty laugh echoed onto the plain has he tried to drop me off into
the dust.
“Wait Cheii! I want to ride with you! Let me try! Please!”
I pleaded.
He
looks at Grandma. She is staring him down while shaking her head.
“Okay
Sweetie.” He said with a grin.
From then on, I grew up in a saddle.
I fell in love with riding horses. During the summers, I rode horses from
morning to dusk with my Grandfather. He teaches me all the plants and
animals names in Navajo. My horse, Buck, have scaled every hill and mountain
around my home. He is my best friend.
My lesson that I believe true about
life is never stop falling in love with something. Always try new things. If it
does not work out, than let it go, but if it is meant to be it will stay with
you forever.
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| My Sweetie: Cheii |
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| Left to Right: Jessica, my little sister, Me, and Jaken, my little brother. |
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| He takes riding horses seriously! We taught him young. |
