Yesterday my sister and I went on a farm tour. Tempel Farms Organics does it every year. The people responsible for farming the land, take everyone on a FREE 2-hour tour of the land. They explain what they do, how they do it, and why they do it the way that they do. They are an organic farm, and spend a lot of time and energy growing things the ‘right’ way.
Anyway, my sister invited me to do it with her: “you can take pictures and then blog about it.” I was all in. We even joked about what we would wear “casual, organic, chic” and Brooke laughed about how I should capture her “sun-kissed cheeks” on camera. Big nerds, I know.
I knew I was going to enjoy it. What I did not expect was the lingering joy that this relatively simple tour has provided. I am still trying to get a handle on exactly why I feel this way. Maybe it is because I was outside, in nature, getting exercise (I could spend every minute of the summer outside and never get sick of it). Maybe it was because what they were saying about the food was reinforcing everything I have been saying about food lately. Maybe it was because I could feel their passion for what they do when they were talking. Or, maybe it was because I was out taking pictures and planning what I was going to write about. It was almost like I was a ‘real’ writer who was out on assignment.
All day today, I have thinking about this experience and how much more enjoyable and healthy and productive it was than drinking too much, or laying around watching TV, or ___________(insert your unhealthy time waster here). It was like those 2 hours gave me a snap shot of the kind of life I wanted to live. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t want to quit my day job and start farming. I cannot imagine the physical demands of that job. These people work so hard, all day, every day.
But, it was a good reminder of staying focused on what I want from my life, and how I want to spend my days. If we don’t stay conscious of what we are doing with our seconds, they disappear. We can’t get time back. I need to keep reminding myself of this fact. Not in a threatening kind of way like ‘enjoy every second or else…’, but in a way that keeps me on track. I am starting to figure out what I want for the first time in my life and it is TOO EASY to get side-tracked.
Have you thought about this? What do you want? Have you figured it out yet? I find it fascinating when I meet someone who is so certain of the path that they are on and everything in their life moves them in the right direction. I am very far from that, but I take pride in the fact that I am getting closer. I don’t have all the answers and I don’t think you need to, but I think it is important ask yourself these questions, to live in wonder, to commit to learning, to seek peace and fulfillment, to ask yourself what you truly want from this one life. The soul searching continues…
(Here are some more pictures of their beautiful farm on a beautiful summer day)
candysbrain 