The Lesson Of "Gee" And "Haw"

THE LESSON OF "GEE" AND "HAW"

Amos 3: 3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?

In 1974 it was my first year teaching school in Lee County, Virginia. To better know my students, I made home visits.

I had 44 students all day long. Wow, no wonder I thought about quitting?

I had a student named Angela Lawson. Linda and I went to the Lawson home, at the foot of Sticklyville Mountain, and visited with Angie’s family. Her Dad had a pair of Morgan horses. Morgans are huge horses, often used to pull logs out of the woods. I was amazed as Mr. Lawson teamed the horses together, and hitched them to a drag. Mr. Lawson backed the team of horses to the drag, (sled), he threw two bales of hay for Linda and I to sit. He then stood in front of us

on the drag and with verbal commands, the horses pulled us all around. I was amazed at how the team of horses worked with Mr. Lawson and with each other. Mr. Lawson would say: "GEE" and the horses would move forward to the right.

"HAW" was a verbal command and the horses would ever so gently turn to the left.

Mr. Lawson spoke very low and so kind, and the horses had worked with him so long that they had an understanding.

The horses trusted Mr. Lawson, and Mr. Lawson trusted the horses. Occasionally we will run across those pictures from that day, and remember the lesson I learned that day of team work!