Monday, August 3, 2015

Knowing Where To Be

I read the author Jon Katz's blog Bedlam Farm.
He's an ex-Manhattanite who now lives on a farm in New York state with livestock. 
He wrote a post yesterday on the realness of living on a farm. 
It's not always idyllic. 
It's not always fun. 
And I can attest to that. 
It's hard work. 
But it's a way of life that some of us will endure to live amongst nature. 
How do I know that this is for me?
I don't know. 
For now, it's a good fit. 

Chad and I love the city. 
We spent many years living within the friendly confines of Chicago's north side neighborhoods. 
We love the ease and accessibility of the city. 
The culture and the food. 
But it's gotten too crowded. 
There's always so much traffic. 
Much more than when we left just 10 years ago. 
And the suburbs weren't for us. 
We lived in the south suburbs for one year and were miserable. 
Nosy neighbors and nothing to do that didn't involve a long drive to get to. 
When the country called (or rather my dad) we answered and moved to the woods. 

Having a farm with animals is time consuming. 
No matter what the weather, we are checking on animals, feeding animals, repairing gates, mowing grass, shoveling snow, trimming hooves, collecting fallen tree branches, pulling down hay bales, collecting eggs. 
It's our life now. 
It's not for everyone. 
People love to come visit and see our menagerie. 
They come to take a dip in our pool and walk in our woods. 
But, I don't think they want this life. 
Really. 
Do I want it forever?
I don't know. 
While my kids are young, I'm certain that this is the place for us. 
Do we ever really know where we want to be?
Don't most of us dream of a life other than our own?
Knowing we CAN dream is essential to our happiness. 


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