I was inside kneading bread when my soon-to-be 14 year old son informed me that I need to quit my job and become a full time farmer. He went on to tell me that I am happiest when I am working in the garden, cleaning up after the chickens, and working outdoors. In his humble opinion, I am not staying true to my life's purpose, despite the fact that I am very good at my job. I told him that we're not in a position for me to quit my job and "farm" our 1/2 acre, but he said that he intended to "talk to Dad about it" for good measure.
In many ways, he's right-- I LOVE being outdoors. I am happiest with a hoe in my hand, a task (or 10) on my list, and sunshine on my back. I get more done in 2 days each weekend and feel more energized than in a few hours at my "successful" job.
Some of my Facebook friends are also "farm-minded" but are financially unable to farm full time. It makes me think of how much of a commitment and sacrifice it is in order to farm and to truly make a good go of making a living from the land. Somehow it seems unfair-- the paradigm is shifted and weighted heavily toward jobs that require post-high school training (college, etc). However, we have educated ourselves from jobs that would provide infinite fulfilment. I can think of 3 or 5 folks who long to live on farms but don't have the land to do it. So, they're stuck in white collar jobs because the benefits are necessary to raise their families and to provide them with a reasonable standard of living.
So, today I'm thinking of my son and his profound insight (on his birthday!) and the hope that he won't have to make choices to provide for his family at the cost of his "right-occupation." I pray that he finds both peace and sustenance in his future job(s). I plan to move toward a more balanced means of employment. Let's hope that it comes before my son leaves for college!
