Putting Up Hay is Good for the Soul

We put up hay again today. The crop is not so good this year, but with the help of our farmer friends I think we might make it through the winter ahead.

I grew up in the city, but I would never go back. The country seems simpler, more grounded, and infinitely more peaceful.

Sometimes I wonder if what people really need is some country living. The amazing thing is I am not talking about country music. I am extremely picky about what country music I might listen too.

I am talking about the connectedness, the vibrancy of life, and the peace of the country.

It relaxes you, it rejuvenates you, and it reminds you how all life is connected in a constant cycle of birth, growth, and change. John Denver, who is one of my favorite folk singers, talks about the country all the time in his music. He is right. The magic of the country life is a healing balm.

If you are staring at concrete and walls, maybe instead of running to a hectic water park, you should book yourself some time in the country.

See it, hear it, taste it, smell it, feel it; there is a little patch of heaven somewhere near by to you. Discover the country and see if you fall in love.

“I hear her voice, in the morning hour she calls me
The radio reminds me of my home far away
And drivin’ down the road I get the feeling
That I should have been home yesterday, yesterday –
Country roads, take me home
To the place I belong “
John Denver

 

Who Loves Judy Collins? I do.

During the year I listen to certain music during specific times of the year, and also of course in conjunction with my mood. Here is a clip of beautiful poetry that Judy Collins put to music, what does it say to you?

“I thought that you’d want, what I want, sorry my dear…” ~Judy Collins, Send in the Clowns

How many times do we make this mistake with the people in our lives, and what does it cost us?

I think much too often we get wrapped up in what we want and we forget that they are not us, and they have their own ideas about what they want. One of the greatest things you can do for any relationship you are nurturing is to realize that what you want may not be what they want, and a give and take is necessary for growth  of the relationship.

Another part of the song I love is this passage,

“Aren’t we a pair, me here at last on the ground – you in mid air… where are the clowns….one who keeps tearing around, one who can’t move…” Judy Collins

So many times, in my marriage, for example I have felt exactly this way. I get to the end of road and I look back to see my husband back in the distance; I had forgotten to wait for him, or vice versa. Sometimes he is wayyyyy ahead of me, and I am panting to keep up. One of the greatest balancing acts in human existence is to level out what we want with what our partners want, and reach a destination together.

The beautiful moments in relationships are those times when everything is in perfect harmony. The moments are fleeting for sure, but while we are in them, is there a more peaceful and complete feeling?