Wow! How did that happen? I just found out that it’s Easter this Sunday! This last month has surely been a whirlwind! Am I the only one that’s lost track of time? I even look forward to Easter! I find comfort in its message of hope.
This international “pause” on life has given many of us an opportunity to reflect. Hope is a great thing to reflect on during all this uncertainty. Farmers are experts in hope. Think about it; we take a little bitty seed and expect it to germinate, sprout, grow, produce fruit, and then harvest and share! Unbelievable, really! So many miraculous factors play into the whole process.
I will admit that even though farmers are generally very hopeful and optimistic people, we do sometimes experience the unexpected, disappointment, and even hardship. It might come in the form of bad seed that doesn’t germinate, pests that destroy crops, or weather that interferes with harvest. There are a myriad of problems that can, and do, happen, in which case I give myself permission to grieve my losses and sometimes even get mad at the circumstances. I reflect and think about whether there was something that I would do differently next time and sometimes there’s a valuable lesson to be learned. But sometimes the circumstances are out of my control and I just need to know I did the best I could.
Whatever the reason for hardship, it usually comes with a time to pause, grieve and reflect. Oddly enough, when reflecting includes finding things to be thankful for, it leads to an optimistic future. That’s where the next seed of hope is found, and the next crop is planted, or a new season begins.
Have you ever wanted to be a farmer? Okay, so maybe not. But you might need a seed of hope right now. Maybe you’re doing okay, and you need to offer a seed to your neighbor (from 6 feet away, of course). Plant a seed, water it, look for sunshine, dream of it sprouting, growing and producing fruit! During this time of uncertainty, it’s okay to pause, grieve and reflect, but allow hope to bring you into the next season.
We are thankful for each of you and wish you a happy Easter as we celebrate the message of eternal hope!
-Tristan and Joelle