We are all in the trenches.
We all are trying to just get over the hurdles so we can gain some peace in this world. Some need really big boosts right now from friends, family and even strangers. Some don’t need any at all right now.
But at some point in this life, we will all need help. Not asking for it is a missed opportunity for growth.
And actually, extreme independence is a sign of trauma. So struggling to ask for help is something we may need to unpack. Or not.
But I did. And it’s made my life so much richer.
Lose your cows? Friends lend panels to trap them, others bring in herding dogs and another bring a cow to lead them home.
Trouble lambing ? True friends bring you tea and help you pull the dead lamb, cry with you and then save the momma.
Boiling syrup for the first time and hit a snag not covered in your book? FaceTime your syrup peep “is this normal ??”
Ever castrated a pig before? No? You can bet I’m not YouTubing that. I’m going to call in my people who have done it before and will teach me to do it.
And you have to give as good as you get. We can’t always be taking from others knowledge without being willing to jump in and bring your skills to the table too. And do our research first. We don’t waste people’s valuable time by being badly prepared.
Creating a community is dynamic and is us being an active participant in a give and take relationship without keeping score, yet one which perfectly balances out over a trajectory of time and growth.
Self sufficiency is tossed around here in our little world a lot but let me be very clear: you cannot live a full, sustainable, self sufficient life without a community.
Some things just can’t be YouTubed or googled. They have to be felt.
