At the end of the day...

           

           Not sure what the measure of a day should be. I used to think it was a “to do” list completed or a project met on deadline. If that were true, today would be one such day, as plenty of work got done; new projects are on track; lots of things in the hopper.

            But more than anything I’m “doing” (which is, I dare say, how most of us measure our worth) more and more it’s a state of “being” I strive for when I lay my head down on a pillow at night. Instead of “What did I accomplish” my better measure has become “What feeling do I end this day with?” For instance, am I stressed? Am I exhausted? Am I behind before tomorrow even begins? Or can I look back on this one and say “Well done” or some version of “Ok, God, what next?”

            People often ask why I have critters (and goats in particular). Laughing I tell them the garden needs what they provide (and this is true, especially if you strive for organic). But why I really have these faces around is for the reminder they bring me not to go too fast or to take myself too seriously. (It’s hard to take yourself seriously when you’ve got a bunch of goats squawking at you. They’re just too dang funny.) But in all seriousness, no matter what gets accomplished, no matter what business is underway, the best measure of my day comes in the smallest of moments when hugging a pup or laughing at a goat or hearing the sound of my purring cat as I call it a night, all serve to remind me that these are the things that money can’t buy. These, to me, are the true measures of a day well spent.