The other day my hubby got home from work quite inspired by something his boss said to him.
“Be the change you want to see,” was the quote from the day.
He said to me, “it’s so simple, but it’s so true.” And I agreed.
I explained to him that this is a quote of Gandhi’s that actually reads, “be the change you wish to see in the world.”
READ MORE: Farm life: be a loner
It got me thinking about all of the times I’ve been inspired by various quotes. How a few simple words strung together can have such a huge impact on that moment, day, week, year, heck - your whole life.
I have this one quote that I often refer back to, which I actually read in the book ‘The Secret’ when I was a teenager. It has stuck with me to this day, the same way that the Ghandi quote stuck with my hubby.
It goes as such:
“We are all inventors, each sailing out on a voyage of discovery, guided each by a private chart, of which there is no duplicate. The world is all gates, all opportunities.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson.
These words pop into my head at various times in my life, both challenging and rewarding. Living on the farm this quote sometimes can ring all-too true. There are six of us that live on the farm and although we have one common goal in terms of this lifestyle, we all live very different lives.
We all have different interests, personal goals, jobs and hobbies, and we try to support one another in those pursuits. But farm life is challenging for so many reasons. It’s challenging for those who do not like when plans change in a matter of minutes, or for those who do not like getting hot, wet, or dirty. Or for those who have an aversion to blood (me). Or for those who don’t like clearing snow in the wee hours of the morning or night. Do you get my point yet? There are so many factors that come into play with living on a farm. Of course, all of us knew the day we signed up for this lifestyle that there would be many challenges and many things to learn. We continue to welcome those challenges and lessons with open arms, hearts and minds.
One minute you could be packing up the car to head off to the lake, and the next minute a pipe in the irrigation lines bursts and it’s all hands on deck. Or perhaps one of the many animals escape their pen just as you’re headed to work.
Or, perhaps, a very unnerving stranger rolls up the driveway and knocks on the front door asking if they can feed your sheep.
There are a multitude of other mishaps that can steer your plans for the day in a completely different direction; some of which end up with a trip to the hospital or the vet.
I have always been a spontaneous person so I think I handle things fairly well when plans change or veer off course. I’m alright with dropping whatever I’m doing to help out (most of the time). One time I was cooking a pot of chicken stock on the stove and there was something that heeded my call, I cannot remember now what it was, but let’s just say that pot and the stock ended up in the garbage.
READ MORE: This little piggy
What I’m getting at is, like E’s boss said, be the change. Things change, people change, plans change and that’s okay. I find that the more I roll with the punches, the smoother life goes. When I over-plan and things don’t turn out the way I’d hoped, it’s upsetting.
As a virgo, I am a list-maker. I am a task-crosser-offer, an organized person. I use a day planner. I write out a to-do list every single day. I try my very darndest to get all of my own personal tasks done, and I usually do, but I don’t fret if something gets pushed down the list a few days. I’m okay if the situation changes because change is good.
I have learned so much from having this outlook. Wether it’s planting a garden, building a great fire, chopping wood, changing the oil in my truck, fly fishing, buying a compound bow, wrangling pigs or learning to bake bread, I’ve gained skills and confidence in areas I never before imagined. If you asked me ten years ago to picture myself now, I had a bit of a different Corey in mind. I am more than okay with how things have turned out. I’m blessed and I’m grateful.
I am a firm believer that every experience can be seen as a lesson. An opportunity. The chance to hop on a different boat and sail a new course. The chance to, say, change your entire life by moving to a farm.
Change your mind. Change your mood. Change your plans. Change your socks and change your shirt. Change your life.
corey.bullock@kimberleybulletin.com
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter