I was built for this

In the hallway, next to the entrance of our loft, hung a metal plaque etched with the phrase, “You were built for this.” I bought it for my husband Houston a few years back for his birthday. It was meant to be an encouragement that no matter how difficult the day, he was uniquely created to do the job he was performing. It was a daily reminder for both Houston and me, as we left for the farm, that we were in some way ready for whatever came our way.

There have been days over the past five years that Houston and I both have questioned the veracity of this quote. But tonight as I write, after moving from that downtown Corsicana loft to our farm 20 minutes away, I realize that I WAS built for this - whatever THIS is.

I was built for this new chapter that my husband and I are experiencing, the adventure of living on our farm full-time. I may only have an inkling of what my days ahead will be like, but I do know that no matter what, everything I’ve done previously has brought me to this point. In some way all those experiences have helped equip me for the tasks I’ll do and the life I’ll live tomorrow.

I’ve mentioned before that I’ve always been an indoorsy person. As a writer, almost all of my work has been done on my iPad - either in a coffee shop or at my kitchen table. I avoided being outside except for exercise. I also enjoy piddling (There’s an old-fashioned word to look up!) around the house, taking my time to tidy and clean. I’ve never had a yearning to do this outside, though.

With our farm to table and glamping venue, almost everything I do is outdoors. In the past few years, since our daughter Emilie went on maternity leave, I’ve spent increasingly more and more time outdoors. I am the primary person who takes care of the hydroponic towers. Emilie helped train me for that responsibility. In the two years since I took it on, I’ve continued to learn. Sometimes it’s through the wisdom of our Tower Farm’s rep, but oftentimes it’s been through my own mistakes.

It may come as a surprise that I’m learning to not only tolerate, but often to even relish, my outdoor chores. This is especially true during the early part of the day. There’s something so life giving about working during the early morning hours. Watching the sun rise and completing once dreaded tasks just feels right.

Regardless of how I learn or what task I’m working on, each day I am moving forward. I am attempting to practice the idea that I was built for this.

This piece first appeared in Sherry’s column, Finding Myself in a Small Town, in the July 2, 2022 edition of the Corsicana Daily Sun.