I want to share with you one of my favorite poems by the great agricultural mind and writer, Wendell Berry.
The Wish to be Generous
ALL that I serve will die, all my delights,
the flesh kindled from my flesh, garden and field,
the silent lilies standing in the woods,
the woods, the hill, the whole earth, all
will burn in man’s evil, or dwindle
in its own age. Let the world bring on me
the sleep of darkness without stars, so I may know
my little light taken from me into the seed
of the beginning and the end, so I may bow
to mystery, and take my stand on the earth
like a tree in a field, passing without haste
or regret toward what will be, my life
a patient willing descent into the grass.
I always enjoy reading this poem around the Thanksgiving holiday. For me this poem screams of impermanence. The idea that no matter what we do, build, or become; everything will meet the same fate.
And when we truly understand the notion of impermanence, we allow ourselves to be grateful. When you realize that everything that you have is fleeting, it is easier to be thankful for what you have in the present.
I must say that the older I get and the more candles I put on my birthday cake, I have opened myself up to gratitude more than when I was a younger Viking.
So I celebrate the food and flavors of Thanksgiving, but I always take pause to remind myself of all the things that I am thankful for in this life. And I hope you can take some time this holiday to do the same.
Have a fantastic holiday, eat well, be safe, enjoy yourself!
Farmer Monte