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Friday, January 20 2012


Those of us who live on the edge of civilized society, where the line between life and death is narrow, tend to view the world differently.  Son read an email post to me yesterday that summed it up nicely.

"Your worst nightmare is my Wednesday."


That says it all. And this leads us to Life Lesson #7. Years ago I was going through a particularly rough patch in life, struggling through a bad break-up and a new job - one that nightly shoved man's inhumanity and the injustices of life in my face like a cold, wet sponge. To brighten up my world, I began buying little bunches of sunflowers from the grocery store.  That's when I discovered one of the great secrets to life - plunk some sunflowers in a vase, and the world is a better place. 

A particular bunch still stands out in my mind.  When I got them home, I noted the stalk of one flower was twisted and out of sync with the rest. At first, I chided myself for not taking better care to pick out perfect flowers, but then, as I often do, I shrugged and said "This was meant to be. This particular bunch was meant for me, imperfections and all."

So I stuck my imperfect bunch in a vase, filled it with water and thought nothing more about it. The next morning I noticed that ALL the flowers were pointed toward the window - toward the sun. I could not find the imperfect stalk.  All had turned toward the sun.  This moment was a shining epiphany.  I had stumbled upon another of life's lessons.

Life rumbled on, but I never forgot the lesson of the sunflower. Follow the light. Turn toward the sun. Another of life's lessons I've learned is "There are no coincidences. Everything happens for a reason."

Fast forward to yesterday.

After I sold the other house, a reader asked me, "What will happen to Failte Gate Farm?"

I said, "Nothing. The farm is the animals, not the place. Where the animals go, so will the name."

Unfortunately, this hasn't proven to be the case. Yes, the core group of animals is still here, but they are refugees floating in a boat, waiting to arrive at the Promised Land. The farm has indeed, turned out to be a place. This has bothered me. Whenever I think of Failte Gate Farm, my mind conjures up aging wood fences, a vine-covered trellis, a greening welcome gate. The farm was more than the animals.

 

Failte Gate Farm was to become something else, but what? Like a cat scratching at the door, it stayed in the back of my mind. Ignoring it, I focused on the new ranch - a place where my quaint little farm would combine with his cattle company. This ranch is more than a piece of land - it is a pearl of great value, and I have sold everything I own to possess it.

Like Failte Gate Farm, it is a living, breathing entity.

On it there will be room for a home, a cattle company, and my little drop of sunshine - my place in the sun.

For years I have dreamt of this place, so much like the forests of my childhood, a place to walk in the dappled sunlight, with perhaps a little cabin of my own, to read, to write, to draw, to reflect.

And so yesterday when I was once again, pouring through mountains of homebuilding ideas, I wasn't surprised to stumble upon the answer to the problem that had stuck in my mind like a cockle burr to a shoelace . . .

. . . "Girasole"

I turned the page on my calendar and a vase of sunflowers waved at me. The caption read: The Italians called the sun-facing flower girasole, "turns toward the sun."

Eureka!  I have found it! The name of my place in the sun! Like a stone key unlocking an ancient puzzle, the pieces clicked together - "Girasole"

I no longer worry that Failte Gate Farm is no more. It has become Girasole, ("jeer a sol ae") as once again, I turn toward the sun.


Posted by: forensicfarmgirl AT 09:48 am   |  Permalink   |  8 Comments  |  Email
Comments:
so glad you have found the answer to the right name for your place - it is a heart place, it seems. and thank you for sharing the story today. the reminder to turn to the sun is welcome - my partner was unexpectedly laid off this week. we will manage, we are in decent health and have each other, but the world is seeming to be an uncertain place. the reminder to turn to the sun, to keep our faces up and turned outward to life, was one i needed to hear today. thank you.
Posted by clairesmum on 01/20/2012 - 01:23 PM
I'm glad the sunflower message helped. Where one door closes, another door opens. Although the words seem trite, I've found they ring true in my life. Experiences that seemed the darkest were times of great change and I always came out ahead. I've finally learned to have faith that things will work out to my advantage. Call me "Pollyanna," but it works. ((hugs))
Posted by forensicfarmgirl on 01/20/2012 - 04:19 PM
Sheri, the name Girasole, gave me huge goosebumps! It's PERFECT! It is truly your place in the sun, a safe place from the crazy world we live and work in. I can't wait to read more about Girasole Farm!
Posted by Shawna on 01/20/2012 - 06:10 PM
Shawna above me said exactly what I wanted to say. Perfection!
Posted by Dani Ezer on 01/21/2012 - 06:56 PM
Beautiful.
Posted by paulainnevada on 01/22/2012 - 01:40 PM
I like it, but... I'm sorry, I can't stop thinking that as an alternative nick name (as in "Faulty Gate Farm) you can use "Cirque de Soleil" on those crazy days that you have from time to time. ;-D
Posted by EvenSong on 01/22/2012 - 05:56 PM
Ohmygosh! THAT is hysterically funny! And ooooohhhhhh so true!
Posted by forensicfarmgirl on 01/22/2012 - 07:12 PM
Perfect, absolutely perfect.
Posted by Carolynn on 01/23/2012 - 11:49 AM

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Red Feather Ranch, Failte Gate Farm
Email:   sheri@sheridanrowelangford.com  failte@farmfreshforensics.com

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