It was
a dark night. Not too far away you could see and hear the storm fast
approaching. In the distance you could see the lightning dancing through
the skies. Normally, I love a good thunder storm, but this night we
knew it could cost us money.
Husband and I had a
little ranch. We had several pastures leased elsewhere for our cattle
grazing and growing our own hay. We had 2 daughters at this time and I
was a couple of months from having our son. This was spring and we had
already baled our hay, we had a small load of hay still on the truck
waiting to be moved into the barn the following day.
For reasons I can't
remember there was no one that could get to us fast enough to help get
the hay in the dry before the rain started. So someone already watching
the girls, husband and I drove over to the lot where the truck of hay
sat in front of the barn. It wasn't too huge of a load and we quickly
formed a plan. Husband moved the truck near the opening, cleared a path
through the hay on the trailer, helped me up and I started carefully
using my feet to kick the bales off the trailer.
Now don't get all
excited, I was a tough little girl. Living in the country, I did all
kinds of things when I was expecting and I was smart about it. I was
young and fit and my body was used to it. No lifting, no using my hands
or back, just sat back on my butt and kicked them off with my feet.
We moved fast and
husband picked up and stacked as fast as I could kick them off. When it
came to bales I couldn't leverage off, husband took over. It started
sprinkling on us before we were finished. We barely made it, the
lightning was almost too close for comfort right as we finished. We were
proud of ourselves and grateful we saved the hay.
I took refuge in the
truck while husband tightened and closed it all up in the barn. He got
in the truck wet with rain and it felt good to us then to accept the
spring thunderstorm. To enjoy the rain smattering the truck as we were
now safe inside. And to see the lightening crash through the skies as if
to warn us of its power.
It may sound silly to
some, but what a magic moment. Life has so many of those moments that we
overlook, because we work so hard, and because life is so hard
sometimes. I am sure I missed a few, but there were many, many that I
didn't miss.
I have had a good
life, and I thank God for all of it. And I thank God for that husband
who pushed me to my limits. Yep, in so many ways! I always say I was the
girlie girl but I wasn't fragile. I was tiny, didn't weigh 100 lbs.
soaking wet when I married him. But he thought I could do anything I set
my mind to, or that he needed me to do at the time :)
And I was almost
always up for an adventure, and proud of myself at the same time. I
started pushing me too, there were a few brick walls, but mostly I
gained some surprising experiences. No worries, when it was a bad idea
or I knew I couldn't, I would say no. No way, your insane, nope.
On the other hand,
sometimes I just wanted to smack him because I didn't want to try to do
it, but I did it anyway, like holding the gate against a huge sow while
he ran and got the ropes to pull her from the other side. She fought
hard and I was up to my knees in pigpen. Smack!
Someday I will tell
you about the time he stood me in the middle of the road and said, now
do not let those cows get past you, as he ran away to get behind them
and scream at them to move in my direction! Uh, hello, me little, them
big. Big and running... talk about adrenalin! I wasn't the only player
in this cow traffic situation, so no way I'm going to baby out!
BE HAPPY PEOPLE! Sit in the truck the next time it storms with someone you love, it's pretty cool.
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