And God Made a Farmer

I think a lot of people saw the Super Bowl ad by Ram trucks by Paul Harvey about God made a farmer. I grew up in the Mid-west and listen to Paul Harvey on WGN radio. He had a great radio voice and whether I agreed with him or not when it came to his political slant you could not argue he voiced a spirited vision of American.

However, as I went about to find the actual copy I have found that this inspiring has become politicalized mostly a cause celeb for conservatives. That is such a shame. I suppose it is because of television and the internet that the most benign events become political statements. What a sad state of affairs. Why can't a person be human. Why does everybody feel a need to 'correct' those who make mistakes. "Political Correctness' has become a disease that infects all sides of a position, political party, religion, culture or social movement. This is not the America Paul Harvey was  talking about.

The America of the 40's and 50's was far from perfect. It did have what you would call it's version of political correctness. Just look at Joe McCarthy. But most Americans regardless of their race, ethnicity, sexual preferences still had a spirit that was tough enough to live with the unfairness of life, be strong and not whine about every little perceived wrong.

The reason that is important is because then important injustices were easier and more clear to see.

But I digress from what I wanted to talk about today.

The reason Paul Harvey's essay resonates with me is because the farmer represents the best in men and human nature. The farmer is the most hopeful person there is. He plants his seeds in the spring with the hope that come autumn he will have a harvest. He works diligently without complaining about the pay or benefits. The benefit he receives is more than money can buy. He receives a sense of pride in his abilities and resourcefulness. His sense of an "Almighty" comes from his connection to the land and respect for power of nature and the orderliness of nature.  The farmer embodies the virtues of hard work, self-reliance and determination to stick it out through hard times.

And yet the farmer was generous. Of course there were exceptions. But when you work the land you understand the bounty you had this year may not be yours next year and to help your fellow man, family, or community was a duty for next year you may be the one in need.

And the very nature of farming teaches you to be respectful of what you do have and because they respect their hard work they respect the need to save for that future day when they may not have a bountiful harvest.

The Farmer understand the cycle of seasons, that good time do not last nor do bad times. They understand that death is part of Life and both are to be respected and reverenced.

I think that this essay is a good reminder of what makes America a good nation and  gives Americans a noble nature, and one that people still immigrate too for a better life.

I am concluding todays entry by posting Paul Harvey's essay: And God Made A Farmer.

And on the 8th day, God looked down on his planned paradise and said, "I need a caretaker." So God made a farmer.

God said, "I need somebody willing to get up before dawn, milk cows, work all day in the fields, milk cows again, eat supper and then go to town and stay past midnight at a meeting of the school board." So God made a farmer.

"I need somebody with arms strong enough to rustle a calf and yet gentle enough to deliver his own grandchild. Somebody to call hogs, tame cantankerous machinery, come home hungry, have to wait lunch until his wife's done feeding visiting ladies and tell the ladies to be sure and come back real soon -- and mean it." So God made a farmer.

God said, "I need somebody willing to sit up all night with a newborn colt. And watch it die. Then dry his eyes and say, 'Maybe next year.' I need somebody who can shape an ax handle from a persimmon sprout, shoe a horse with a hunk of car tire, who can make harness out of haywire, feed sacks and shoe scraps. And who, planting time and harvest season, will finish his forty-hour week by Tuesday noon, then, pain'n from 'tractor back,' put in another seventy-two hours." So God made a farmer.

God had to have somebody willing to ride the ruts at double speed to get the hay in ahead of the rain clouds and yet stop in mid-field and race to help when he sees the first smoke from a neighbor's place. So God made a farmer.

God said, "I need somebody strong enough to clear trees and heave bails, yet gentle enough to tame lambs and wean pigs and tend the pink-combed pullets, who will stop his mower for an hour to splint the broken leg of a meadow lark. It had to be somebody who'd plow deep and straight and not cut corners. Somebody to seed, weed, feed, breed and rake and disc and plow and plant and tie the fleece and strain the milk and replenish the self-feeder and finish a hard week's work with a five-mile drive to church.

"Somebody who'd bale a family together with the soft strong bonds of sharing, who would laugh and then sigh, and then reply, with smiling eyes, when his son says he wants to spend his life 'doing what dad does.'" So God made a farmer.