Healing

Good morning everyone and it is wonderful to be back! As you all know I have been absent for 3 days now due to serving jury duty. I have been called for service before but have never been selected for a jury. That all changed this week when the judicial system in our county decided that it needed the input of this simple farm wife. So every morning I rose early , got Baby Oops on the bus and dressed professionally then proceeded to navigate the muddy roads that lead to civilization if you listen to the kids. That 45 minute trip off the dirt roads and away from the land. To that black surface that leads us away from the beautiful hayfields, forests and unplanted corn fields muddy though they may be. That leads us to McDonalds and Wal Mart and all the trappings of our society. I no longer dodge the ruts in the dirt, deer or the neighbors cow that has managed to escape. Instead I now navigate among hundreds of other humans in cars all fighting to get to work on time. I ,along with 11 other people subject ourselves to metal detectors and searches of all that we carry. Why? To judge the fate of fellow human beings who have made bad choices as indeed these people have done. There are a couple things I have taken away from this case that I wish to drive home to my fellow bloggers.




1. Most of us live on farms and own acreage. Be very careful whom you invite to your land and what they do while there. In this case do not mix alcohol., tractors and fireworks in the vicinity of small children in this case a small 5 year old boy. Even on the 4th of July. As the land and tractor owner you bear the brunt of the responsibility. Always think SAFETY and LIABILITY!



2. Never operate tractors without KNOWING where the children are. I have found out what horrible damage a tractor weighing thousands of pounds will do to the body of a five year old child. And never while drinking! Even one beer!



3. When it comes to money ( and lots of it) do not think that a family member, best friend or lifelong neighbor will not sue you.



So I again leave the blacktops and return to the fields and forests of my own land. Knowing it will wrap it’s arms around me and heal me. That my loving husband awaits me with a hot meal on this late rainy night. That my own daughter lies in her normal teenage bedroom listening to her Ipod and doing her homework. Safe and healthy. Undamaged, both in body and spirit. That I will have my cup of hot tea and wrap up in my quilt tonight secure in their love.



Now I will attempt to forget the horrible images of that broken little body. I will try to forget the tears of that young mother struggling with the guilt of not keeping her child safe in a big dangerous world. I will attempt to forget the face of that property owner as their hopes and dreams crumble around them. All destroyed by one day of bad decisions.



I will instead celebrate the new life around me today. I will love and cherish my loved ones. I will pass on the knowledge that I have taken away from this experience.



And lastly I will admit that it is not easy to judge your fellow man. Maybe that is why it is left to god. But I have done my duty and it is good to be home.

Blessings from the Holler
 
The Canned Quilter