Farmers

Farmers come in all sizes with the keenest eye, the largest heart and the strongest back.

The farmer's eyes see the crack of dawn and the first stars that come out
at night. He sees in his mind's eye the harvesting before the planting even begins.
He sees rain before a cloud appears. His eyes are everywhere, yet they hold the
largest smile that covers many acres yet remain where they began.

A farmer's heart shows kindness to all creatures, understanding, compassion,
tolerance and has the patience of a saint.

A farmer's back carries many burdens.

He feeds America.
He is a farmer!

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A FARMER'S LAST WILL

I Leave:
To my Wife, my overdraft at the bank, maybe she can explain it.

To my banker, my soul ----- he has the mortgage on it anyway.

To my neighbor, my clown suit. He'll need it if he continues to farm as he has in the past.

To the ASCA, my grain bin. I was planning to let them take it away next year anyway.

To my county agent, 50 bushels of corn to see if he can hit the market ---- I never could.

To the junk man, all my machinery. He's had his eye on it for years.

To my undertaker, a special request: I want six implement and
fertilizer dealers for my pall bearers.
They're all used to carrying me.

To the weatherman, rain, sleet and snow for the funeral,
please ----- no sense having good weather now.

To the grave digger ---- don't bother, the hole I'm in should be big enough.

FRIENDS FOREVER

I would never trade my amazing friends, my wonderful life, my loving family for less gray hair or a flatter belly. As I've aged, I've become kinder to myself, and less critical of myself. I've become my own friend.
I don't chide myself for eating that extra cookie, or for not making my bed, or for buying that silly cement gecko that I didn't need, but looks so avante garde on my patio. I am entitled to a treat, to be messy,to be extravagant.

I have seen too many dear friends leave this world too soon; before they understood the great freedom that comes with aging.

Whose business is it if I choose to read or play on the computer until 4
AM and sleep until noon? I will dance with myself to those wonderful tunes
of the 60 &70's, and if I, at the same time, wish to weep over a lost love, I will.

I will walk the beach in a swim suit that is stretched over a bulging
body, and will dive into the waves with abandon if I choose to, despite the pitying glances from the jet set.

They, too, will get old.
I know I am sometimes forgetful.
But there again, some of life is just as well forgotten. And I eventually remember the important things.

Sure, over the years my heart has been broken. How can your heart not break when you lose a loved one, or when a child suffers,or even when somebody's beloved pet gets hit by a car? But broken hearts are what give us strength and understanding and compassion. A heart never broken is pristine and sterile and will never know the joy of being imperfect.

I am so blessed to have lived long enough to have my hair turning gray, and to have my youthful laughs be forever etched into deep grooves on my face.
So many have never laughed, and so many have died before their hair could turn silver.

As you get older, it is easier to be positive. You care less about what other people think. I don't question myself anymore. I've even earned the right to be wrong.

I like being old. It has set me free.
I like the person I have become. I am not going to live forever,but while I am still here, I will not waste time lamenting what could have been, or worrying about what will be. And I shall eat dessert every single day(if I feel like it).

MAY OUR FRIENDSHIP NEVER COME APART ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART!


MAY YOU ALWAYS HAVE A RAINBOW OF SMILES ON YOUR FACE AND IN YOUR HEART
FOREVER AND EVER! FRIENDS FOREVER!


Received this in an e-mail from a very dear friend.
I'm passing it on to you, all of my Blogger friends, that I hold so near and dear to my heart. You have all become my friends and I hold your friendship in the highest regard.
Thank You, for bringing such joy into my life.