We made a trip to the country on Saturday to visit my grandparents on the farm. It was a beautiful day. We got to pick blackberries(I made a cobbler) and we got to see cows, and I even caught a teeny, tiny fish in the river. I had a wonderful visit with my grandparents and learned how to play “Crazy 8’s.” Then I had to come home. To the stinky city. To my small weed infested yard and a pile of bills.
When I grow up I want to live in the country. I want to eat fresh fried catfish and wade through weeds and get chiggers. Well, maybe not chiggers. But it is a simpler life out in the country. Time just slogs by, like a stick floating in the current.
I could go on and on dreaming but the truth is, country living is also hard living. My grandparents are getting up there in years and are struggling to keep everything going. Caring for cattle is hard work and they’ve lost several head this year. My aunt and uncle do their best to put up hay and take care of the monstrous black angus moo cows and I bet if I asked them, they would say there is nothing slow or easy about it.
My point is this, the grass always looks greener on the other side. Visiting the country is nice. It’s a cool day trip where I get to hang out at the river and soak up the sunshine. But actually maintaining a farm is not easy. I’ve often heard my grandma say what hard work it is and she is not lazy! My fondest memories are her berry stained hands rolling out dough for a pie or cobbler. And I don’t remember her sitting down much, well maybe to core and peel pears for canning. I have so many sweet memories that I let nostalgia sweep me away and forget about the cow patties. We discovered this on the way to the river. We began walking down the pretty, white sandy path only to be knocked over by the smell of digested hay, recently passed through the gastrointestinal tract of several cows. Fun times!
It would be easy to grumble and groan about my city life. And it’s true, some days I do grumble about it. But focusing on what I don’t have(a farm) won’t make me happy. I need to be content with what I have. And I do have many wonderful blessings. I don’t need to list them here. I know what they are.
Well, I’ll list one. This morning when I got up for my walk I saw a large barn owl sitting on the wire outside my neighbors house. I stopped next to it and looked up at its majestic face. It looked down at me and regarded me for a few minutes while I watched in awe. Then it gazed into the distance and forgot about me. It was the single most wonderful thing I have experienced all year. Yes, even better than the country.
Today, count your blessings. Don’t long for what you don’t have(I know-double negative, sorry!) Be content with what you do. And visit the country or the ocean or the mountains. Life is beautiful, and the grass is just as green on your side of the fence. You just have to open your eyes and really look at it.
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