Choose A Way of Life, Not An Occupation

29 April 2018

 - “Are you sure you just want to farm? Don’t you want to do something more with your life?”  These were the questions posed to me in high school by my well-meaning teachers when I had declared that I was going to farm with my family after graduation. In their eyes, I was wasting my talents by staying on the farm I grew up on.

For generations, this has been a fostered attitude here in the country; you grow up, move to the city as soon as you can, get an education so that you can get a good paying job and you’ll be much happier than living out here in “the sticks.” There isn’t a whole lot of encouragement or support given to anyone with aspirations of staying. Sadly, this attitude for decades has meant the decimation of our small communities and reliance upon large, urban centres.

Not that there was anything wrong with those who did choose to move away and pursue their dreams elsewhere. Their talents and abilities are certainly cherished and needed in this world. I am just hoping that this is what they actually wanted, and that they weren’t left feeling empty, or somehow abandoned by the life and the land that they knew; because it seems that when our children are being guided into their careers, especially by the school system, it often comes down to “coulds” and “shoulds” rather than “wants” and “callings”.