This past Friday as I was headed to the grocery store to get lunch, I spotted a curious sight. A man on horseback headed east on Hwy J. Those of you who live in the Ozarks might be thinking that a man on horseback is indeed NOT a curious sight in these parts, and you would be right, but the man I saw was different--special even. He rode a painted horse and donned a long white beard. As I looked from my car window to take him in, I noticed he had a large pack behind his saddle indicating that he had been on the road for quite some time. When I turned into the grocery store parking lot, no longer able to see him as he had continued on in the opposite direction, I circled around and headed back after him. Something inside of me was telling me that I needed to meet him.
I made my way east on Hwy J/NN until I reached a church parking lot to leave my car in. Then I made my way to the road and waited for him to catch up.
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| Jeremiah Brinkley & Anna Marie |
As he approached I held up my hand to greet him and he called out, "Hello, sis!". I was immediately touched by the same energy I felt when encountering elders at the Rainbow Gatherings. I introduced myself and asked him if I could take his photo for my blog and he happily obliged. He told me his name is Jeremiah Brinkley (like Christie Brinkley, he said) and his horse is called Anna Marie. I asked if he was local and he said that he was a wanderer, just coming from California, and that he had family in Missouri. He told me the route he had taken to get here and that he was headed to the east coast after his stop here.
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| Anna Marie |
Anna Marie was sweet and let me pet her while I spoke with Jeremiah. He told me that I could find information about his travels if I looked online. He didn't know any exact websites to steer me to as he doesn't use the internet himself. He has been on the road for 25 years! Anna Marie is his third horse and his best friend. He doesn't travel for media attention, money or a charity, riding the country is his lifestyle.
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| Look at her two toned mane! |
As I took a few more photos Jeremiah circled Anna Marie around so I could get her mane..."it's the prettiest thing about her", he said lovingly. We chatted for a few moments longer and then I let them on their way. "Goodbye, sis!" he called as he rode off.
Later that day I decided to google him and see what I could find. Turns out that Jeremiah is a celebrity of sorts. I found a Facebook page in his name and thought that was odd. Surely he doesn't run a FB page from the saddle? Turns out a family member runs the page to keep Jeremiah's "fans" informed about his location during his travels. The page is loaded with photos that people around the country have taken with him and stories of their visits. I also discovered numerous blog and news articles written about him as well as a few TV news spots. In the following link, they get Anna Marie's name wrong, but the story is great nonetheless (click to watch video).
Jeremiah is a Christian and says he spends a lot of his time talking to God. In my humble opinion I think that he is a great example of what it means to be a Christian. He has brought his travels to a halt many times to help others, including time spent helping out after the Joplin Tornado, a tragedy that rocked us here in the Ozarks. Jeremiah said that he has been treated kindly by the people he meets along the way, often offered meals or a place to stay, and that he finds many of the things he needs along the side of the road. His lifestyle is one that many of us fantasize about (you know you have thought about life on the road Kwai Chang Caine style!) but one that few of us will ever experience.
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| Last photo before I said farewell. |
I am very thankful that I followed my instinct, turned my car around, and made an effort to meet Jeremiah and Anna Marie. I won't soon forget them.
~ Love & Light ~
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