I think I will start posting about feelings on the homestead… why?
We push them aside to stay busy and eventually forget until we feel it again.
As humans with the constant desire to feel appreciated are just that not appreciated by the people we want it from the most. We work day to day to simplify our life yet we add more processes to get that “simple” life. We research endlessly to find the best feed for our animals, the healthiest recipes for our families, the most affordable yet sustainable clothes, the safest products for day to day use…
We wake up earlier to start breakfast and pack lunches, to soak the grains, to knead the bread, to straighten the house, to have 5 minutes of peace before the chaos of our day begins.
With all of that, we don’t always have alot at the end of the day to show for what we’ve been consumed with all day but what is homemade bread, raw sour cream, raw cheeses and yogurts, line dried clothes, in a world where convenience rules. We make all this extra work for ourselves, they say! Take a break they say, order fast food they say, pay someone to do the work for you. I say this because I feel and have done all of this.
I feel the sadness of unappreciative family who have no idea what you do in a day, who have no desire to learn about your life, who complain about all the things you don’t do for them that they want but forget about the things you do out of the kindness of your heart.
I feel the sadness of wanting to make everyone proud. To feel appreciated. To feel like I’ve made a difference in someone’s life. To feel like my research is ground breaking. To feel like my time is worth it. To feel like my sweat, tears and blisters are enough. I struggle to feel like I’ll ever be enough.
Until you realize you can’t depend on anyone to make you feel these things. No one will ever appreciate you the way you truly want to be. No one will understand how much work you truly do behind the scenes. No one will will ever realize how much you sacrifice for them to have a great day.
So, make sure you tell the ones who sacrifice so much for you day to day that you appreciate them. That you are proud of them. That you are happy for them. That they are making a difference.
Most importantly, that you LOVE them!
