*If you would prefer to listen to this piece, you can find the podcast version here.
In the last year or so, I've "returned" to country music (I spent a few years listening to primarily Christian music) … I can probably thank Mackenzie for this shift.
While much of country music is ridiculous or silly or just plain cliché, there's definitely the odd gem within that spurs a little more thought … a little more inspiration … a tug at the heartstrings … or a smile … simply because the words are so rooted in truth …
"Buy Dirt" by Jordan Davis and Luke Bryan is one of those songs for me …
I've had many mixed feelings about the song since I first heard it but have finally decided to settle on gratitude …
An old man provides some sound advice for a younger man:
- find the one you can't live without
- have a family
- give generously
- pray
- go to church
- and finally … buy dirt
In recent years, with the price of land sky-rocketing (making it almost impossible to get ahold of) and an obvious movement towards corporate farming, I've caught myself worrying that my kids may never be able to afford to "buy dirt," as the old man suggests.
Said dirt has been the source of a whole ton of resentment for me in the last twenty-or-so years … as I've harboured such bitterness towards the farm and my husband for all that it "steals" from us … mostly his time, and most especially, during seeding and harvest.
But what if, instead, I decided to see this "dirt" for what it is?
What if I decided to reframe my thoughts and give thanks instead?
What if I took a moment to recognize and "see" (and celebrate) what's right in front of me?
My husband and I have "bought dirt" … we have a family … and our "pencil marks" are growing up … (you'll understand this reference if you listen to the song) …
We FULLY own our home and this little piece of property … a beautiful 20-acres nestled in the forest, just minutes from Hudson Bay, in one of the absolute loveliest parts of Saskatchewan.
Beyond this, my husband owns several hundred acres of his own just 30 minutes down the road, and he will be a part of a legacy with hundreds more acres of land gifted to him in the future.
Our children will be a part of this legacy … and, for that, I give THANKS!!!
Thanks be to Grandpa and Grandma for following some sound advice provided in a simple country song … thanks so much to Grandpa and Grandma for "buying dirt!"
*If you would prefer to listen to this piece, you can find the podcast version here.
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