Always a Farmer’s Daughter

by Sarah Thomas

There once was a Farmer who had a daughter. A Farmer that knew how to plant and raise crops and his own stock. That Farmer’s daughter admired and loved the Farmer.

But the time came for the Farmer to answer the call because the Man upstairs needed the Farmer to tend to his stock from up above.

Although the time of Thanksgiving is the most difficult time of all, the Farmer’s daughter was thankful for him. Thankful for the time she had with the Farmer. Thankful for the memories made and the stories to share. Thankful for the example of a life well lived.

The Farmer left a legacy for his daughter to share with you. A story that shaped the daughter’s life. The story of the Farmer told by the Farmer’s daughter. And always a Farmer’s daughter I’ll be.

The Farmer and the Farmer’s daughter

Today marks the third anniversary of my Dad’s passing. It feels like he has been gone for 30 years, not three. It is hard loving and hating all the things that remind me of him the most. All the things that make me the most like him.

I love and hate black coffee. I hate that I need it to get me through the day, but love it because he drank his black too. I love John Wayne and western movies so much that I wish my life was like a western. I hate that I can’t sit and watch a whole one because it was our thing.

I love that I have come to appreciate the work of the American farmer more. They say you learn to appreciate things more once they are gone. I always appreciated my Dad and his hard work. Now that he is not here, I try to show other farmers that I appreciate them and all the work they do for me. I hate hearing the phrase “the farmer’s daughter” because my farmer is no longer on this earth but love the fact that it will forever link me to farmers.

I love that he instilled in me a love for the land. That has not changed. I could never hate the land. I love it more because it is what’s left of him on this earth. There is a sign that hangs in my house, “Heaven is under our feet as well over our heads.” That saying has never been more true for me now. I would give anything to be in heaven with him, but I know he helped create a heaven here on this land for me. And I won’t disappoint him. I will try to live every day on this heavenly land as a farmer’s daughter because I know that I will always be one.