And I mean that literally, cows are holy.
As spring has suddenly emerged and new life is growing from the trees and out of the ground, I am feeling renewed. I'm overwhelmed with the beauty of nature that surrounds me here, and In a moment of profound discovery I say, "Holy cow, I'm a farmgirl!".
Yes, you've guessed by now that this is going to be a rather long, very personal, emotionally charged blog post that I feel compelled to share about once a month. Thank you for allowing me to write it.
After moving to rural Illinois from Seattle in the fall, I struggled through the winter with very taxing growing pains. I was tired, I was sad, I was holding on to a life that I had left behind. I found that the move took a heavier toll than I had expected, I didn't know how to be myself in such a different world. At the beginning of this year I started exploring more, we decided to add egg laying hens to our family, and Brett taught me how to feed his dad's cows. I started to find myself again, in the land, in the animals, in the stillness of the country.
Since we've been here I've had more time with my family, more time alone, and more time to discover my spirituality. I feel a balance in my life that I've never had before and I'm at peace. I can live in the present, and give more than I take.
In my former life I was so easily distracted and influenced by the pace at which people and technology evolve. I loved being part of that never ending, always changing world, and I miss it. I wasn't being thoughtful about who I gave my time to or where I expended my energy, and at the end of the day I had nothing left to give to my family, to the earth, or to myself. Finding a balance in the calm of the country has enlightened me and given me a new type of energy and fulfillment. Somehow I knew this before I could actually verbalize it or even form it into a tangible thought ... and that's why I'm here.
So the point, the moral, the truth that I have found through my own discovery is that when you simplify your life, you find how simple it is to be happy. Let me add to that by saying that when I would see a quote like that before I thought I understood it, but I couldn't because I didn't understand what the meaning of simplicity was, in the context of my own life ... that's my current quest.
Love this post! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteIt is very quiet out here in the country, and that gives one a chance to stop and listen, to "hear" the quiet takes introspection. Some people never really "hear" it like you've begun to. It can also get very hectic in a rural sort of way. I love the post.
ReplyDeleteThe other day my bed partner made the bed in the morning, and when I saw it I guess I kinda squealed in a happy way, "Oh, you made the bed!" and his response was: "It really doesn't take much to make you happy, does it?" Best thing about the place I am now is that it really doesn't. A nice cup of tea, a good walk, a warm conversation, a pretty day. Glad you are finding your simple. Thanks for the reminder that it really doesn't take much.
ReplyDeleteI love this post. I feel like it's something I could learn from. In some ways I am living simply but I don't think I am doing it in the sense that probably matters most. Thanks so much for sharing this. I'm glad that you're finding yourself again. Because we both know that I completely understand what you feel when you think about the life you left behind. I don't know if I could find peace in the country, but it's possible. Lately I've been daydreaming of a place on the coast somewhere. I think that's where I could find what you're in the process of finding now. It would be amazing if I could find it where I'm at right now though!
ReplyDeleteThanks, great blog post
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