The Healing Horse, Ch. 16, Scene 4: A Revelation Under the Moon

image of a jetliner bisecting the quarter moon in a night sky

In this brief scene, little Karen’s life continues to change as her ideas about herself and what she can do in life change.

Scene 4: A Revelation Under the Moon

As Karen walked beside the deserted Christmas Eve road, the words of Pegasus and Madame Leota ran through her mind. Now, she knew that dancing would be a major part of her life, but how? With one leg and an arm paralyzed, how could she dance? How could she lead the way, and what did leading the way mean?

The roar of a jetliner far above her in the sky broke her revery, and as she watched she saw its silhouette bisect the quarter moon, and in that moment she knew that if people could fly, then she could dance.

But she needed to find a teacher.

She hurried on, so she could discuss this with Mama.

[Photo by Chris Henry on Unsplash. You can follow him at https://www.instagram.com/chrishenry/]

The Healing Horse, Ch. 16, Scene 3: Reflections on Disneyland, Magic, and the Future

In this scene, Karen and Pegasus reflect on the magic that happens when people accept each other as they are, and on Madame Leota’s prophecy of great things to come for Karen.

image of moonlit clouds in the sky

The image of clouds in a night sky is courtesy of WikiMedia Commons and W. Carter.

(W.carter, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Scene 3: Reflections on Disneyland, Magic, and the Future

As they watched the sunset fade and the light of the moon illuminate the clouds, Karen snuggled back against Pegasus, thankful for his body heat on this chilly Christmas Eve night. Her mind went back over the day, and all that she had experienced and learned.

“You know, boy, I think if there’s one thing that sticks in my mind about this whole trip, it’s how important it is to decide what you really want to do, and then figure out how to do it.”

“I am sure you are correct, Kitten, but what about speaking up for yourself? If you had not spoken to the tram driver, we might still be waiting to get into Disneyland.”

“You’re right, Pegasus. It’s not enough to know what you want. You have to speak up. You have to advocate for yourself and others.”

“I learned something, too,” he replied. “I learned that there really are magical places in the world. You do not have to make a choice between reality and magic. Sometimes, magic is the reality.”

“You mean like in Disneyland…Yes, Disneyland has real magic in it. And you know what else I noticed? In the right place, in the right situation, even ordinary people can accept disabled people and magical horses. All day long, I kept expecting some well-meaning adult to tell me I couldn’t do something I wanted to do because of my CP. But nobody did. They all accepted me as I am.”

“It was the same for me,” Pegasus replied. “I never talk in public, but within Disneyland and its magic, I not only talked, but people listened to me and accepted me as I am.”

They watched the clouds move in the moonlight, and then together they recited what Madame Leota had told Karen:

In a future time not long away
You will dance and lead the way
Follow the pied piper, the dancing man
He will show you that you can.

Let no discouragement block your way
No matter what authorities say
You can dance and lead the way
You will show others that so can they.

Beware the white coats and teachers false
Stick close to your horse and teacher true
Eyes on your strengths, not on your faults
Become the one who is truly you.

Without another word, they walked into Pegasus’ stall. Karen removed his saddle and brushed him down. She kissed him on the cheek, and they both sighed.

He said, “It will happen, Kitten. It will all come true.”

She kissed him, again, and began her walk home.

The Healing Horse, Ch. 16, Scene 2: Sunset at the Ranch

In this scene, three important events occur. First, Mama shows her happiness with Karen and with how Karen is now approaching life. Second, Karen again exerts her will by asking to stay with Pegasus. Third, she recognizes that she and Pegasus need time to reflect on all that they learned during the day, that they need time to let the meaning of the events sink in.

The time of day is dusk. The sun is setting over the Pacific. Good time to reflect. Here is an image of what the sky might have looked like, as they watched the sun set over the horizon of Topanga Canyon. Thanks to WikiMedia Commons and user Jusdafax for the picture.

(User:Jusdafax, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.028, via Wikimedia Commons)

Scene 2: Sunset at the Ranch

When Rocky turned off the truck engine in the parking lot at Sierra Nevada Stables, Karen opened her eyes and looked up into her mama’s face.

“Why are you crying, Mama?” she asked.

“Because I’m so proud of you, my Krana Layala. You organized this whole day as a gift to your horse. You spent the whole day in a strange place without me or anyone else to watch over you. And now you’re almost home, safe and sound.”

Karen smiled, as her mama wiped away the tears and stroked her cheek. Then Rocky cleared his throat. She got his meaning. It was getting late. She and Mama could have their moment, later. He had chores to do, now.

“Mama, let me help Rocky with Pegasus, and then I want to stay here for a while, so my horse and I can reflect on what we learned, today. I’ll walk home in a few minutes, and we can have supper together. Okay?”

Mama nodded. Karen hopped down from the pickup to the ground, and a few minutes later she waved goodby to Mama, thanked Rocky, and led Pegasus toward the barn for the night. Outside the barn door, they gazed at the pink clouds of the sunset for a few minutes.

“Let’s stay here and enjoy the beauty of the sky, while we reflect on our marvelous day,” Pegasus said.

“I’m with you on that, boy. It was a perfect day.”

The Healing Horse, Ch. 16: Back to the Ranch, Scene 1: Truck and Horse Trailer

In this scene, Karen and Pegasus reflect briefly on their Disneyland day, and then Karen dozes on the way home.

Scene 1: Truck and Horse Trailer

When the tram reached the parking lot, Karen got off at the same stop where she had got on in the morning. She and Pegasus stood patiently, both reflecting on the day. The sun was setting, and she looked forward to going home.

After a few minutes, she saw the big pickup truck moving slowly between the rows of parked cars. It stopped in front of them, and Mama and Rocky climbed down from the cab.

Mama hugged Karen and said, “Oy vey! My Krana Layala, I’m so glad to see you. Did you have a fun day?”

“Yes, Mama,” Karen replied. “I’ll tell you all about it on the way.”

She helped Rocky load Pegasus into the trailer, and then climbed up into the cab. She wanted to tell her Mama all about what happened, but as soon as Rocky began the trip back to Topanga Canyon, she fell sound asleep with her head in her Mama’s lap.

The Healing Horse, Ch. 15, Scene 14: Walking to the Exit

In this scene, Karen continues speaking up for herself and taking charge of her own life. In Disneyland, this is easy. When she gets back to the real world, she will find it more difficult.

In those days, Disneyland security officers wore medieval-looking outfits with white hose, but you could identify them by the blue patch. Here is a picture of one that I found on Pinterest.

Scene 14: Walking to the Exit

Moving with the crowd, they walked back toward the parking lot. When they got to the exit, they had to go through a turnstile.

Pegasus looked at it and said, “I will never fit, Kitten.”

“Don’t worry, boy,” she replied. “Just wait right here.”

She glanced around for a minute and spotted a tall, strong-looking man in the colorful Disneyland security uniform. Once again, she spoke up for herself and was rewarded with respect and help.

“Excuse me, sir,” she said.

“Yes, ma’am,” he replied in a deep but soft voice. “May I be of service?”

She could not stop herself from grinning, when he called her ma’am.

She said, “My horse can’t go through the turnstile. Is there another way out?”

“Yes, ma’am,” he repeated. “Please follow me.”

She waved to Pegasus, who trotted over. The man led them to a gate and unlocked it for them.

“Thank you so, so much.” Karen said, as they walked through the gate to the tram stop.

“You’re very welcome, princess. You have a nice evening. Would you like me to wait with you?”

“That would be very nice of you, but you really don’t have too!” Karen said appreciatively.

The man took it upon himself to wait with them, but did not say anything more. After a few minutes, a tram arrived, and Karen rode in it while Pegasus trotted beside her back to the parking lot.

The Healing Horse, Ch. 15, Scene 13: The Parade

The day is ending. Mama and Rocky had promised to pick up Karen and Pegasus after the four o’clock parade, so the little girl and her horse watch the parade, and then head for the exit. Along the way, they recall some words of wisdom from the Disney movie Pinocchio. “When you wish upon a star…”

This song was originally written for the movie, but has since become a Disney icon, loved around the world. The words and music were by Ned Washington and Leigh Harline. They wrote the the words and music for Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, too. Don’t you love these wonderful stories and their empowering messages? Here is a link to the Wikipedia article about Ned Washington and Leigh Harline: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_You_Wish_Upon_a_Star

Image of parade at Disneyland

And, here is an image of what the parade might have looked like, as Disney characters marched to the tune of a brass band. Thanks to Bernard Spragg. NZ from Christchurch, New Zealand, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons for the photo.

Scene 13: The Parade

When they reached the Disneyland Railroad Station, Karen looked up at the huge clock on the tower.

“Oh my goodness, Pegasus, it’s almost four o’clock. Mama said she and Rocky would pick us up after the four o’clock parade. Let’s go to the Town Square so we can see it go by.”

They hurried to the square and joined the crowd of excited children and families. After a few minutes, they heard music in the distance. A band played the theme song from the Mickey Mouse Club television show, and the music got louder.

“I can see them, now, Kitten,” Pegasus said. “Climb up on my back so you can see, too.”

Karen scrambled up into her saddle, and from there she could see over the heads of the people in the crowd.

“I see them, Pegasus! Mickey and Minnie and Donald and lots of other Disney characters are leading a marching band. And Cinderella is standing on a float behind the band.”

“Yes!” Pegasus said. “I can see it, now, too. Look at those beautiful horses!”

They watched in awe as their favorite Disney characters paraded to the tune of Disney songs. After a few minutes, the parade disappeared into the distance, and the crowd broke up.

“Oh, boy,” Karen said, “That was great. What did you think?”

Pegasus replied, “I especially liked seeing Jiminy Cricket. Can you guess why?”

Karen thought for a minute and then said, “I think so, boy.”

She took a deep breath and sang:

“When you wish upon a star, makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires will come to you
If your heart is in your dream, no request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star as dreamers do…”

“That’s my girl,” he replied. “Now, let’s go find your Mama.”

Disabilities in Politics: Kickstart Your Campaign by Jillian Day

[Editor’s note: Jillian Day created 508Assist.org to help people all across the web make their sites accessible to individuals with disabilities. She was inspired to start 508Assist.org when a close family member, who happens to have a visual impairment, had trouble finding a dinner recipe online that he could read easily. When she’s not chasing after her little ones, Jillian enjoys being outside, whether she’s fishing, hiking, or geocaching with her family.

Disabilities in Politics: Kickstart Your Campaign

by Jillian Day

Maggie Hassan, Michael Bennet, Cyrus Habib — what do these political figures have in common? They are all people with disabilities! Whether it be blindness, autism, or limb disorder, people with disabilities are becoming more and more prominent in the political world. This is great news because these individuals bring a unique insight into how the world treats those who are a bit different.

It’s all about marketing.

Anytime you want to promote yourself, marketing is key. As an up-and-coming public figure, you will need to refine your image early on. While you don’t have to follow the same ultra-strict regulations as the British Royal family, maintaining consistency in the public is important. Voters don’t tend to take well to wishy-washy politicians, so make sure you’re out and about, handing out flyers and meeting people in the community. You should also invest some money in good business cards that let voters know you’re serious about this run (this guide can help you choose the right card size depending on your style and preference).

You need help.

Speaking of marketing, you’ll need a campaign manager and a few other helping hands to make sure you present yourself in the best possible light. Your campaign manager will, among other things, handle public relations and act as a political advisor. You can hire someone part-time or full-time, but make your selection based on experience and charisma. Another important person on your campaign team is an accountant. You will need someone to handle payroll and scheduling, ideally using traceable software. They will need to handle everything from mobile timesheets for your staff to paying your vendors on time. Your time tracking software should also integrate with your other programs, like a payroll platform, and allow you to handle common tasks from anywhere.

Your first run is more about exposure.

In the days of Instagram and TikTok, you might think that one viral campaign is all you need to become a public figure. Unfortunately, this type of fame is often fleeting. If you want to truly connect with your potential voters, you have to take steps to become a public figure. This might include sharing your history and telling your story. Most importantly, be yourself, and let the voters get to know the real you.

Social media is the megaphone of today.

Just because you can’t rely on social media to propel you toward instant success doesn’t mean that the sites don’t have value. You absolutely have to use social media, including Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn, to get your name out into the public’s eye. But be careful! Even the highest office in the nation isn’t immune to social media snafus that alter perception.

Talk about your disability.

Disabilities used to be quite a taboo topic. But today, most folks are understanding that people with disabilities are every bit as capable as everyone else. But make sure to use identity-first language. And if you’re going to discuss your disability as a catalyst for change, try to keep the conversations positive. While negativity tends to make the 6 o’clock news, it is your upbeat attitude that will stick in people’s minds.

As a person with a disability, you are uniquely positioned to bring issues to light that your community may not even know exist. But you can’t do it alone. Make sure to find the right team, and then take other steps to put yourself front and center to political success. Most importantly, remember that this might not mean an immediate win. It takes time to market yourself so that, like those before you, you can make a difference.

Image via Pexels

The Healing Horse, Ch. 15, Scene 12: The Mark Twain Riverboat

In this scene, Karen and Pegasus take one final ride at Disneyland, and her mentor gives her a little history lesson in disability rights.

If you are interested in the text of the letter from Helen Keller that Mark Twain read at the New York Association for the Blind, in 1906, you can read it at this link:

https://www.disabilitymuseum.org/dhm/lib/detail.html?id=2508

And here is the riverboat that they rode, image courtesy of Jasperado and WikiMedia Commons.

“Mark Twain Riverboat – Disneyland” by Jasperdo is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

Scene 12: The Mark Twain Riverboat

After they rode the raft back to the mainland, they also saw a train that went around the park. And then they saw an old fashioned paddle wheel riverboat. It was just about to leave its dock.

“Let’s hurry, Pegasus! There’s still time to get aboard.”

They ran to the boat ramp and were the last ones to board before the big paddle wheel pushed the white boat away from the dock.

They strolled around the broad wooden deck, and then Karen leaned over the back railing so she could see the name of the ship.

“What does it say?” asked Pegasus.

“I’m not sure, boy. Reading is hard enough with dyslexia, but reading upside down is…never mind. I will not complain. Just give me a minute to spell it out.”

With complete concentration, she recited the letters, and then Pegasus said, “You just spelled Mark Twain. He was an author, Kitten. You would like his stories. They are full of adventures and brave children, like you.”

“Do any of them have disabilities?” she asked her mentor.

“I’m not sure, Kitten, but I know he was a champion of disability rights, especially for blind people. He read a letter from Helen Keller out loud to an audience at a meeting of the New York Association for the Blind, in 1906.”

“That long ago?”

“Yes, Kitten. And you must carry on the struggle, just like Madame Leota said.”

This gave little Karen more to think about. When the ride ended, she and her steed walked pensively down the gangplank and back to Main Street USA. Time passed quickly, but she was beginning to look forward to going home.

The Healing Horse, Ch. 15, Scene 11: Tom Sawyer Island

In this scene, Karen and Pegasus take a much-needed break from the excitement of rides and Main Street USA, so they can reflect on what Madame Leota predicted for Karen’s future.

Here is a photo of part of the island, with a raft like the one they would have ridden. You can see that it would be easy for a horse to get on and off.

Thanks to George Louise and the WikiMedia Commons for the image.

Photo of people on a raft to Tom Sawyer Island at Disneyland, about 1960

“File:Raft to Tom Sawyer Island, Disneyland California about 1960.jpg” by GeorgeLouis is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0

Scene 11: Tom Sawyer Island

Outside the Haunted Mansion, Karen said, “Pegasus, that was really special, but I need to do something less dramatic. Ghosts and disembodied heads predicting my future have my mind spinning.”

“I agree, Kitten. We need to pace ourselves. Let’s just stroll for a while.”

Cheerfully they walked away from the haunted house. Then they saw another ride, with a pirate theme.

“Look,” said Karen, “it’s Tom Sawyer Island and the Pirate’s Lair. I think that’s just what we need to wind down. It’s supposed to be quiet and relatively peaceful.”

“Let’s go,” said Pegasus.

They walked to the boarding area, where they crowded onto a wooden raft with a lot of other people. It was perfect for Pegasus because he could walk onto and off of it. After a short trip across a river, they stepped off onto Tom Sawyer Island. They were both tired, so instead of exploring they found a shady spot where Karen could rest on a bench, and Pegasus could lie down beside her. She had a lot to think about.

The Healing Horse, Ch. 15, Scene 10: The Prophecy

In this scene, Madame Leota gives little Karen a prophecy about her future as a dancer and a teacher. Pegasus confirms the truth of this. But it comes with a warning about authorities who will someday try to place false limits on Karen’s potential.

Here is an image of Madame Leota in the green of thriving plants, and with a smile on her lips as she gives her blessing to Karen. Thanks to the Disney Fandom Wiki for preserving it. image of Madame Leota in green

Scene 10: The Prophecy

As Karen and Pegasus stared speechlessly, the ghostly globe changed color from blue to green, and Madame Leota smiled at them. Karen immediately thought of green as the color of thriving plants, and she knew this must mean something.

After a dramatic pause, Madame Leota spoke: