I grew up on a small, ten-acre
farm north of Lawton, Iowa where I graduated high school in 2010. During all my
years of “growing up” I learned many things, both on and off the farm that are
still useful for me today.
I learned that taking the road less traveled can
be a rewarding and… eye opening experience. It can also get you into a mess…
literally. Seriously, just because it is shorter to take the dirt road home doesn't mean you won’t spend more time digging yourself out of a mud hole than
it would've taken you to simply drive around on more favorable roads.
I learned that if I wanted something
I would have to ask nicely or do without until I could get it myself. I
eventually learned that my twin brother, Ben, is basically my best friend that
I just so happened to be born with, and I haven’t been able to get rid of him
since! But I suppose that is a good thing. In a world where many kids my age
don’t care much for common sense it is nice to know that there is one other
person that has the exact same upbringing as me, even though at times we are at
complete odds with each other.
Finally,
you have to do what you can with what you have. There’s no use in crying about
things you don’t have. Just make the best of your situation and maintain as
positive an outlook as possible. Nobody’s owes you anything and nobody is going
to take care of you like you take care of yourself.
My father
farmed for years up until I was around ten or eleven years old. I always
believed that if he had kept farming, I wouldn't have left the farm and would
probably already be making money rather than spending it hand over fist on
school. But I determined for myself early on what the best path would be. That
path led me to school to pursue a degree and to be more enlightened in other
ways of the world. This is an experience that surely will benefit me for the
rest of my life.
