May 27, 2020
As we walk to the farm this morning on our daily round to visit the horses, calves, goats and of course grandma and grandpa, I tune in to the sounds around us. The birds chirp as they sing good morning to the world. A small breeze bristles the leaves in the trees and my happy magoo babbles to himself as he tries to steer his plastic car where he wants to go. Every now and then he looks up at me with big beautiful eyes wondering why his car won’t turn when he turns the wheel. I think this kid will be ready to drive tractors by the time he’s five! Right now, to me, the world feels like a safe place. A place of serenity. No fear has seeped through to my bones for a few days now. I feel at peace with what is happening in the world around us. For now, all I focus on is the sounds surrounding me and the beauty of the quickly changing land.
We walk the same couple of kilometres every day, but everyday it changes. The fields that were still brown with dust and dirt no less than two weeks ago are now flourishing with different shades of green as the hay, wheat and corn begin to grow. The ferns in the ditches open up their leaves and the dandelions are spreading like wild fire, providing nectar for the bees. The foliage on the trees seemed to have appeared over night. The trees no longer look like skinny skeletons. The smell of pollen and flower blooms fill my nose; and maybe a little bit of goat manure as well! We are so truly blessed to live in the country. We can find beauty in the world around us no matter where we live, but I’m extra thankful my son gets to grow up here where it will be easier to teach him to appreciate that beauty of nature, the importance of agriculture and to encourage his growing love of animals.
The weather has been excruciatingly hot and sticky these last couple of days. I fully expect my outdoorsy monkey to put up a fuss every time we walk out the door but he never does. Why would he complain when he gets to cruise down the road in his little car, one hand steering while the other rests on his back rest, looking like he owns the world. Not a care or worry in his eyes right now, just living life, enjoying every moment, soaking in anything and everything he can. Today I feel the same way. As he tries to copy the sounds the birds are making, I am reminded of how truly magical my life has become. I feel like I’m living in a Fairy-tale. How could there possibly be anything bad out there that could harm us when everything is so perfect right now? But even in fairy tales there are always monsters, evil kings or queens, or some type of tragedy to overcome. So maybe we are living in a fairy tale. A fairy tale where happy families are fortunate enough to get extra time to spend together. One where people have been given the opportunity to slow down, relax and appreciate their surroundings. But our fairy tale also has its villains. An uncontrollable threat that plagues the entire world, people stuck in unsafe home situations, fear of so many unknowns and fear of the future.
There is no telling how this fairy tale will end but we can all keep our fingers crossed for a positive one. For now, all we can do is appreciate every smile, every moment of peace and love. Be thankful for the extra time with our immediate families, no matter how much they’re driving us crazy. Continue to follow safe practices and hope that others will do so also. Find serenity in what you see around you. Focus on what makes you feel calm, happy, and tune out everything that doesn’t. Whether it’s just for a moment, a few hours, or a few days, every moment you achieve a feeling of peace; free of stress and fear, is a moment that has not been wasted.
