Do you ever feel like you are going to turn a corner and something good is going to happen? Hope is the confident expectation of good. Are you happy with your life, or do you feel life is a real kick in the teeth? Homesteading is not for the faint of heart. Living the simpler life is about enjoying the everyday wonders that can elude us when we are living in the rat race. Do you have any idea where that word picture came from? Scientists created rat mazes to measure stress. One definition of a rat race is an endless, self-defeating, or pointless pursuit. The term is commonly associated with an exhausting, repetitive lifestyle that leaves no time for relaxation or enjoyment. Are you a lab rat racing through a maze in search of cheese? Are you ready for a change? Or are you trying to change and have grown discouraged?
Here’s what I have discovered about life. You only get one. Enjoy the journey as you pursue great things. Where do you see yourself five years from now? Do you have a life plan? I have an outline of the direction I would like to keep moving towards. Another thing I have learned is life happens. It’s best to stay “instant in season and out.” Adaptability is the hallmark of the wise. Stay fluid and flexible.
Sometimes, what is needed is a change in direction. I know a lady who was in a destructive relationship with a sweet man who drank heavily. They lived together for several years. One evening, she was caught in a tornado that was life-threatening. Going through that storm and surviving made her realize how short this one life she had is. She took a hard look at her life and broke free of that dysfunctional relationship. Now, she is happy.
You need to get your priorities in line with enjoying a calmer, simpler lifestyle that is so much more productive and filled with less diva-drama and stress. The older I get, the more I love peace. I can still be assertive when it’s needed, but I am much happier on my homestead enjoying the simple joys that surround me daily. One of which is getting this shot of Edgar. Yes, I do name some of the wildlife and insect populations with which I interact. I have been trying to get him to allow me to take his picture all summer. Finally, we had an unseasonable spell of cold weather that made him somewhat sluggish, and I got some great shots to share on a future blog posting on beneficial insects.
As I age and my body is in pain, it is often hard to remain cheerful. All summer long, I have been encouraged by simple gifts from God. I went to Buchheit in spring and purchased some sunflower seeds to plant as a source of protein for my chickens and rabbits. Imagine my delight when I discovered this small flower just at the point of bursting open and blooming. In all my years of growing sunflowers, I had never noticed one only at this point of bloom.
My thoughts went to my nephews and nieces whom I love dearly. This flower bursting open symbolizes our children and grandchildren who are bursting with life-victories and teachable moments. Something good is going to happen for our children as we share the wisdom we have gathered to encourage and strengthen their faith in God and Country. Each time I went by the now open sunflower, my soul was refreshed by its beauty. Life’s pleasures are many times straightforward. We need to make the time to discover them.
This post is to encourage you that you can get off the treadmill, you don’t have to run the rat race. You can do that regardless if you ever move to a homestead. Experience the simple life right where you are! You can do great things. It’s the meaning of great things that may need to change.
I love sharing my passion for homesteading and the tenants of a simple self-sufficient lifestyle. I am too blessed to complain!
Annie May
