"Hi Freckles, how are you today sweetie?. You sure are getting big. Look at ya..., catching up with the rest of the boys."
"Hello Farmlady. I'm learning how to be a big goat. I already know how to run the fastest and butt heads....., and I have a secret."
"Can you tell me what the secret is?
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because then it won't be a secret."
"Oh..., well why did you bring it up then?"
"I don't know. I get excited and forget I'm not suppose to tell."
"Well if you decide to tell me, I'll be around. Be careful Freck's, Bart is underneath you. Don't trip on him. See you later, boy."
Freckles jumped down on top of Bart and they decided to play the "butting heads" game for a while, then Freckles
ran down into the pasture.
Murphy came over to the fence.
"Hi farmlady"
"Hi Murph'. how's it going today?"
"Pretty good. How are you?"
"I'm ok. I was just talking to Freckles and he says he has a secret. Do you know what the secret is?"
"Maybe."
"What do you mean by maybe?"
"Well, it's not really a secret."
"Oh?"
"Yes. It's just something he's learning to do."
"And what would that be?"
"Well, I don't know if I should tell you because Freckles thinks it's a secret and I wouldn't want to tell a secret if he really thinks it's one."
"I think you should tell me if it's something that might get Freckles in trouble or hurt him"
"Oh. I didn't think about it that way."
"Should I ask Bart or Brownie instead?"
"No, I'll tell you."
Farmlady leaned over the fence and smiled. She rubbed Murphy's neck and said....
"What is it sweetheart?"
"Well Farmlady, Freckles is learning to climb trees."
"What?"
"Yes, and he thinks that if he climbs high enough he can find more leaves and branches to eat, but I think that he might fall. I'm worried about him and I don't want him to get hurt."
"I understand. I'm glad you told me. I will talk to him."
"Thank you Farmlady."
"Your welcome Murph'."
Farmlady gave Murphy a scratch behind his ear and then said....
"Murphy? Do you remember when you use to dance by the light of the full moon when you were younger?"
The little goat looked at her and quietly said "Yes."
"Well, was that just what goats do? I've never seen the other goats dance like that. Were you just being playful, or was that some kind of dance that goes beyond what we humans know about?"
"Yes, it has special meaning for me."
"Can you tell me about it sometime?"
"I don't know if I can explain it."
"Would you try?"
"I'll try, Farmlady."
Murphy turned and walked away, but Farmlady could tell that the little goat was saddened by what she said. Maybe Murphy had secrets too.
Later on, Farmlady saw Freckles stretching against an Oak tree, looking up into it's branches. He saw her watching him, so he walked on down the hill to another tree. He kept looking back to see if she was still there.
She would have a talk with him soon.
Secrets are not always really secret, she thought, some secrets need to be talked about and worked through. Some others, like Murphy's should be put away and not talked about with anyone. They are private, deep and carried in one's heart. It is a hard decision to share or not share.
She would remember to tell Murphy this tomarrow...., she would tell him that he didn't have to talk about dancing if he didn't want to. It would be his choice. There are places that others shouldn't ask to go and she knew that she had made sweet Murphy sad without thinking about his feelings.
This was a lesson that she would remember for a long time.
