I had the pleasure one day last week of hanging around some “horse people” during a horsemanship clinic at Golden Hills Trail Rides and Resort near Raymondville.
Headlining the week-long instructional event were Mark and Miranda Lyons, of M&M Horsemanship in Whitesboro, Texas. Having a little bit of horseback riding in my background, I had no trouble appreciating their talents and abilities, and it was easy to tell why they have become well-known in their field and do their thing all over the U.S. (and even outside it).
Yep, the Lyons can definitely help horses learn to be better steeds, and they are gifted in communicating with students in ways that make learning and improving not only feasible, but probable.
But there was something else that struck me about this husband-and-wife team of horsemanship virtuosos: Them. I mean, it was impossible not to notice the way they listened when the other spoke, watched as the other worked and otherwise showed the utmost in caring and respect for each other.
They’re actions were like the postcard for togetherness and the benchmark for walking in love. As a friend from England would say, “just lovely.”
In the Bible, it’s called “accord.” That’s a noun that Dictionary, com defines as “proper relationship or proportion; harmony” or “consent or concurrence of opinions or wills; agreement.”
Basically, accord is a positive byproduct and result of teamwork, togetherness and love. Kind of like you see with the Lyons.
But wow, I couldn’t help but think that the very reason I was taking so much notice of their accord is that it’s simply not the norm in today’s society. All you have to do is watch the evening news and it’s clear that it’s hard to find on a global scale.
But I believe the situation goes well down the ladder from there, and the same thing is plainly present in places like Houston, Mo.
Yep, I’d say in this community and society in general, accord is to a large extent “out” and division and separation are “in.”
Seriously, you just don’t see much evidence of consenting or concurring of opinions, people for the most part seek their will over anyone else’s, relationships are frequently improper and disproportional (whether between individuals, groups or organizations) and there’s all too often little or no harmony involved when people deal with other people.
Like when civic organizations representing the same interest tussle with an issue for well over half a year and then split over lack of accord.
Like when new organizations pop up made up of people from a different organization they left because they didn’t agree with some sort of rule or doctrine.
I could go on and on with examples, but you get the idea.
I even made up an acronym for the current state of affairs: We live in an EGGO society. It’s all about Entitlement, Greed, Glory and Offense.
First, you feel entitled to calling the shots, receiving the bounty without necessarily earning it and basically getting your way.
Next, you get a taste of entitlement and you want it even more.
Then you desire credit — or even fame — for being the mover, shaker, right-thinking and generally wonderful person you are, so you embrace vanity and go for the glory.
Lastly, you realize people really don’t see everything your way and that not everyone cares as much about what you want as you thought, and you get offended.
It’s a pretty easy progression — at least it must be because it’s chosen as a path by a whole lot of folks.
I imagine there are one or two people a little hot under the collar at this point in reading this. That’s called conviction.
Anyway, I’m happy to have witnessed a small island of accord, and I’m sure there are a few others scattered about the societal sea. But I’m not going to hold my breath for a revolution of accord. I tend to believe all that stuff in the Bible, and it says that won’t happen.
In fact, it says the opposite will take place (and it is). And I can’t think of an instance when the best-selling book of all time has been wrong.
Let’s face it: People don’t want to let go of their EGGO.
Doug Davison is a writer, photographer and newsroom assistant for the Houston Herald. His columns are posted online at www.houstonherald.com. Email: ddavison@houstonherald.com.