Manure

Misery loves company.

I have always thought that that refers to two miserable people loving being miserable together. Today gave that saying a new meaning for me.

A friend is going through some dark days and I have been feeling the stress of life situations. So today I went to help her and her husband, who was sick in bed, at their farm. Now I can't say I was a lot of help, but we had a great time. We scraped the misery off our work shoes and walked away better.

As I prounced behind her like a six year old sister, we talked. We talked about family. We talked about where we live. We talked about life. We even talked about politics. We fed chickens, delivered eggs, and brought horses up from pasture. And I learned life lessons.

Some times you have to take a hen pecked chicken out of the brood to give her time to get strong and heal. Eventually she must go back and hold her own.

Getting hen pecked doesn't mean you don't keep doing your job. Stop laying and your dinner.

Horses will meet you half way. If you let them know what you expect, they'll meet you every time. Not so with humans.

If a horse isn't familiar with something it'll either be spooked by it or be mean to it. That sounds like some humans I know.

And I was reminded of the most important lesson we learn from farm animals:
If manure is left laying around it creates problems, but pile it up and let it break down and it will be come the best black gold.

So do the dirty work of cleaning those piles up and, eventually, they'll decompose into rich soil for growth.

This day was rich and full.

No, I'm not going to go buy chicks.