Some days you are just too tired to do much of anything. Your body is weary, your mind is filled with static. Your get-up-and-go took off and didn’t leave a forwarding address. All it would take is a simple reminder.
That has been my life lately. Just yesterday I headed outside after work to help James work on some firewood, and fifteen minutes into the job I just gave out. Partly due to the breeze-less, humidity laden, hot afternoon; partly due to just constant days of go, go, GO with no real break.
Of all things to perk me back up, a post that was shared by my friend Gary Truckey. It was a video that depicted horses with their friends, dogs and cats. (the post is no longer available, or I would share it here!)
Although the video was adorable, it was the soundtrack that accompanied it which brought laughter and buoyancy to my heart. It was the opening song to the animated version of Robin Hood. “Robin Hood and Little John were walking through the forest, laughing back and forth at what the other had to say…”
In this movie, Robin Hood and Little John are happy-go-lucky types. They cavort through the forest, hide in the creeks, band together with Robin’s Merry Men, leap fences and climb trees, running from the Sheriff and his band of deputies.
And they do it all with a chuckle, knowing they will best their enemy and bring smiles to the faces of the poor and downtrodden.
It may just be a silly little movie adapted to animation for the enjoyment of children, but it actually can be a good lesson for adults. We all have hurdles we have to jump. We can often find ourselves up a tree that has leafed out in problems, or drowning in a river of sorrows.
Life has us running through the forest of our agendas with no clear path to a meadow and jumping through hoops to get our list of things to do for the day completed.
On the farm, we also have to contend with angry cows when their dinner is late or when they want in another pasture without the ability to open the gate for themselves.
The heat of the summer drops the egg count which also drops a portion of the farm income. Juggling off farm jobs with farm chores can leave you feeling like the Sheriff’s deputies after Robin Hood and his Gang get finished with them.
It’s times like this that we have to force ourselves to focus on the other side of the journey. We have to remember our goals for which each tree we climb, each creek we forge and every hurdle we jump is all part of the steps we must take to reach.
Is living on a farm really worth all the Country Boy and I have to do to keep it? Is living simply truly how we want to live? Is growing our own food tasty enough to keep us going?
On days like we have had for the past year, these are questions that I have been asked, and we have asked ourselves. And each time we ask them, the answer remains a resounding ‘Yes’.
Life never was guaranteed to be easy. If it was, I don’t know if any human being would really enjoy it to the fullest. There is just something about getting splinters from the trees, getting drenched in the creek and pulling a muscle jumping over those hurdles that makes Life worth living. It also gives us a greater appreciation of the simple things.
Sometimes it is just those very simple things that can bring a smile to your face. A silly song. The face of a friend. The vision of calves playing in the pasture. The smell of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven.
This day has barely started, and I can already tell you there is a whole forest of trees out there that is liberally laced with creeks and hurdles; but I can already tell you I will be singing…
“Oodilolly, oodilolly, golly what a day!”
Thank you, Gary, for the reminder…
Wow! Darn Facebook! I didn’t even know I’d been mentioned in your post! I love Roger Miller’s singing! Well I sure am pleased to have helped you Sister! And you’ve given me yet another idea for a post: “Trade-offs”.
Inspirational! — Gary
I love our trades, Gary. Can’t wait to see your post!