Only a Farmer

This is lovely.  It so describes my neighbors, and what I aspire to be.

I’m Only a Farmer

- Author is Unknown

I'm only a farmer.
I know the sun better than anyone.
And the soil.
And the wind.
And the rain.
I am the man who works with them.
Who loves them.
And who sometimes fears them.

I'm only a farmer.
I am the sower of seeds.
I am the tender of stock.
I am the reaper of harvest.
I am sweat.
And tears.
And pride.

I'm only a farmer.
I am the man who feeds the young.
And the old.
The weak.
And the strong.
I am the black earth of Spring.
The green hills of Summer.
The harvest gold of Autumn.
And the cold white stillness of winter.

I'm only a farmer.
I am warm memories of the past.
The steely reality of the present.
And a hopeful dream of the future.
I am a optimist.
A thinker.
A watcher.
And a doer.

I'm only a farmer.
I live in a complex world. 
Made of simple things.
And they are my source of joy.
And hope.
And comfort.
I have walked the morning fogs.
I have paused for the Summer song of the meadowlark.
And I have savored the breeze off freshly cut hay.
I have paused, remembering, by the stream I knew as a boy.
I have felt the power of a thousand storms.
And rejoiced in the fresh world left in their wake.

I'm only a farmer.
I am an accountant.
A chemist.
And doctor.
I am a midwife.
And a mechanic.
I am a seller.
A trader.
And buyer.
I am husband.
Helper.
And partner to my wife.
I am a father.
Comforter.
And teacher to my children.

I'm only a farmer.
Not a man of riches.
But a man of great wealth.
I have learned to treasure life.
And all things living.
To respect their maker.
And my own.
I am humbled by the earth’s bounty.
And awed by endless rebirth.
I am fascinated by the marvelous minutiae of my world.
And enriched by their beauty.

I'm only a farmer.
If a man can be truly free, then I truly am.
The day.
The week.
The month.
They have been entrusted to me. 
They are mine to spend.
They are mine to invest.
They are mine to use wisely.
It is a solitary profession I have chosen.
Or, perhaps, that I have been chosen for. 
A profession where there are no certainties.
Where no guarantees are granted.
No promises given.
No excuses taken.
I have but one man to answer to.
One man to depend upon.
One man to confide in.
And in the quiet of the years, I have come to know him well.

I'm only a farmer.
I am perseverance.
And creativity.
And courage.

I'm only a farmer.
I am confidence.
And ingenuity.
And intelligence.

I'm only a farmer.
A seeker of excellence…
And I will endure.