Almost everything you read at the moment begins ‘in these unprecedented times…’ and they certainly are; everyone can remember a time when they couldn’t do what everyone was else was doing: FOMO (or Fear Of Missing Out) is what drives a lot of advertising now. In these unpr- frankly odd times, we’re all missing out: I’m not riding (but I know that Max is getting great care, lots of time in the field, and as much hay as he can eat), much less Eventing, and I’m not even allowed to go in to the Chelmsford Cathedral (where I work) to play the organ there.
It’s a good time to have a think about my basic priorities for riding and the drastically different year that Max and I will (eventually) have – perhaps our first Event will be Poplar Park after all! I’m enjoying Charlotte Dujardin’s autobiography – don’t get me wrong, I know just what the gulf between our riding is – and am going to read up on mindset improvement too; it’s all very inspiring stuff.
The chance to read and think, and listen to music more than usual has been good – as I’ve said before, don’t waste a crisis – and although I’m desperate to use this free time from work to get on and ride, I hope that the me that emerges at the end of this lockdown will be a more prepared, relaxed, and enthusiastic me. Do you think that this will change you? How are you coping day-to-day? I’d love to hear your thoughts and strategies for coping with all this time!
Stay safe.
James x
The Eventing Organist 