Life is Better on the Farm

Friday Afternoon

Another week at the office comes to a close...I'm grateful for that...Those of us in education live for the moment when we can close our office doors on Fridays and go home for the weekend. Not that that particular action signifies an end to the work, by any means. It's just the moment when we can retreat to the privacy of our own homes, not have to answer questions from eager (or not) students and colleagues who seek our input (or not) about matters that rarely require immediate resolution.

Let's see...This week I have taught three or four classes a day, graded papers, attended more meetings than I really care to, answered phone calls, lended assistance to students in distress, answered messages from all over the country, made phone calls, and played peacemaker for colleagues who can't seem to understand that they share a similiar vision but don't speak the same language. In addition, I've worked on arranging all sorts of things for an arts and humanities series I am in charge of. Yep, I'm ready to head home.

(Three hours later.....) Several cats and the farm dogs, two corgis, Annie and Molly, meet me as I get out of the car with their deeply appreciated enthusiasm and unconditional love. It's so nice to be lovingly welcomed home. There's not a lot of interesting mail to peruse; the first of several bills with Christmas charges is the thickest envelope in the stack of ads and junk mail that wait for me in the mailbox by the side of the road (where, on more than one occasion, I've almost gotten plastered by cars passing by at high speeds), Best of all,however, the silence of the house that smells like Christmas tree welcomes me, and I realize that it's been five full days since I have spent the entire day in my home. It's here where I find my peace. It's here, in the silience, that I can hear the voices of the many, many people who call this place "The Farm" --who know it as HOME, as our vine-covered barn humbly displays. I feel their presence as if they were sitting on the sofa awaiting my arrival, ready to greet me with a warm "farm hug."

I'm home and so glad to be here.....