I heard the other day that a cousin I grew up with back in my days on the farm had described me as a quiet teenager but a hard worker. Somehow, that made me feel proud of my young life as a poorly paid but well-fed farm hand.
kAm(9J E92E D9@F=5 36[ x 42?’E D2J] x >62?[ x ?6G6C[ ?@E 6G6? H96? x H2D 2 3@J E9:?<:?8 23@FE 36:?8 2 7:89E6C ;6E A:=@E @C 2 C@4< 2?5 C@== =686?5[ 4@?D:56C65 DE2J:?8 @? E96 72C> 2?5 >2<:?8 2 =:76 @7 E96 H@C< 2?5 H@CCJ 2?5 H62E96C] x <?6H 7C@> 2? 62C=J 286 E92E x H2D?’E 4FE @FE 7@C E96 72C> =:76] x H2D A6C764E=J 92AAJ >@H:?8 2=72=72[ DE24<:?8 92J[ ECF4<:?8 H962E E@ E96 6=6G2E@C 2?5 AFD9:?8 C2?< 42=G6D :?E@ E96 3C2?5:?8 49FE6] x 5:5?’E H2?E E@ 5@ :E 7@C6G6C[ 3FE :E H2D?’E 2 325 H2J E@ DA6?5 DF>>6CD 5FC:?8 >J D49@@= J62CD]k^Am
kAmx7 x H2D BF:6E 23@FE :E – 2?5[ J629[ x’> DFC6 2?J ?6:893@C @7 @FCD :? E96 CFC2= 4@F?ECJD:56 H@F=5 92G6 56D4C:365 >6 2D BF:6E – H6==[ H92E H2D E96C6 E@ D2Jn *@FC 525 D2JD E@ E2<6 E96 u@C5 EC24E@C 2?5 E96 D:4<=6 >@H6C @G6C E@ E96 3:8 =2<6365 62DE @7 E96 C@25 2?5 4FE E96 8C2DDn %92E’D H92E J@F 5@] x DFAA@D6 E96C6 6I:DE65 <:5D H9@ H@F=5 92G6 2C8F65 @C 4@>A=2:?65[ 3FE E92E D66>65 A@:?E=6DD] &?=6DD E96:C H@C=5D H6C6 E96 4@>A=6E6 @AA@D:E6 @7 >:?6[ E96J H@F=5 92G6 6?565 FA E2<:?8 E96 u@C5 @G6C 62DE] %92E 36:?8 E96 42D6[ H9J H2DE6 H@C5D :? 2 =@D:?8 2C8F>6?Enk^Am