I guess the biggest change this year stems from the condition of the economy. My family and I find our selves possibly on the precipice of a new era brought on by the poor economy: do we keep ranching as we have done all my life here, or branch out into new territory by acquiring a local business that will not in the least bit be affected by the weather, save tornado or horrific flooding? I am sad to think that a chapter of our lives may one day soon be over. Ranching has been a wonderful experience. Granted, the opportunity to do so has been on borrowed time it seems, and for that time we've been granted I know we are all grateful. God has blessed us with the unique opportunity to ranch in a time where others are dropping out of the business by the thousands. It's a thankless, moneyless, rainless, vacationless, often unhappy venture. Yet besides the list of "cons" of ranching, there is also a list of "pros". There are no annoying lights at night imposing themselves within the walls of our sleepy bedroom. We impose none on anyone, and if we did light up the beautiful darkly night outside, it wouldn't matter because neighbors are so far away from us, they wouldn't care. We have fresh eggs, and new babies of various species every spring, and fresh peaches in July. Along with the Arcadia we see outside our windows and doors, we have experienced season after season of the trials, hardships and victories, together, and have benefited from these situations in a number of ways. After all this time, I have arrived at the conclusion that when people, more especially families, fight and work side by side for the good of the group, the adversity they face draws them nearer to each other. The group or family becomes like a tapestry, woven together such that one painful experience, or one person, or one victory, cannot be removed from the fabric. It is as integral to the whole as any other. Perhaps it goes undetected in the material, but it binds all experiences and people together. I could extend the metaphor here, but I'll save that sappy "pastoral picture" for some other time.
Do I want to see this era in my family's life story end? No. I think we may be one of the eroding numbers of small farms and ranches that are still in operation. To that end, I think it is appropriate to acknowledge the time we've been given with this business, to remember and account the mental pictures of us in the barn, marking lambs, moving stock, feeding, delivering babies, sewing up injuries, carrying in newborns, giving shots, cleaning, shearing, watering, and on, and on. We need to recognize the gift we've been trusted with for so long, against the odds, with the blessing of God.
