I have to admit, I was struck with severe Writer's Block on this contest for several days. For some reason, I was drawing a blank on all fronts. I'm happy to say that after taking @farmstead's advice and "not thinking about it" for a day, I'm here with my answer and entry into @pennsif's Homestead Happiness contest!
My Homestead Happiness Stems from Two Sources
Tangible Works
My 9-5 job (more like 7-6, with the commute) is in the Healthcare Information Technology industry. My time is spent at a desk in a windowless room with low lighting, surrounded by digital displays, and 99% of my work is otherwise invisible unless viewed from a computer screen. While I enjoy my work, there's something about it that is slightly unfulfilling. After 7 years in the industry, I think it comes down to the work being intangible. After a long day of working, I (literally) have nothing to show for it... not to anyone who is outside of the IT field at least.
This is where homesteading comes into play. Most everything related to homesteading is tangible; you have to put your hands on it to complete it. Whether good or bad, finished or still in-progress, at the end of the day you can stand back and physically see, touch, or smell your work!
This speaks to our souls--the inner fabric of humanity--and is why so many who dabble with one of the spokes of the Wheel of Homesteading, will likely come back for more and seek to learn more. Doing such things makes me extremely happy. I enjoy the projects, tasks and outcomes from such activities. Not that you couldn't tell from the many DIY posts I've written! At any rate, I count this at a big source of my happiness on the homestead.
Passing Knowledge
As anyone who has followed our blog for any length of time knows; we have two boys. While we were well on our way towards homesteading before having children, becoming parents fiercely galvanized us into the lifestyle.
I previously wrote about living in an old single wide mobile home by choice and covered the "why" behind that transition if you want to check it out. Living this lifestyle--connected with the natural world and being stewards of the land and animals around us--is not only rewarding, but immensely powerful as a tool for the proper raising of our boys for becoming strong men in this world.
Very little brings me happiness in such a way as seeing my boys learn something from living on our homestead.
This is all so true!
Congratulations @greenacrehome on winning a Special Award in the Homestead Happiness contest with this great post :
Even though I live in the city @greeacrehome, that is why I keep bees, grow vegetables and fruit, and even have a few chickens--so I can see the joy my daughters have in learning self sufficiency.
Hey, Homesteading is as much a mentality as a physicality. I'm a firm believer in that! Your (sub)urban homestead is just as rewarding as our country homestead!
I'd also like to invite you to join us over on the SteemitHomesteaders slack community! More info can be found at the below post. Thanks @bigpanda!
https://steemit.com/steemithomesteaders/@greenacrehome/announcement-steemithomesteaders-slack-community
Great post 👍🏻
Thanks @mylilhomestead
I'd also like to invite you to join the SteemitHomesteaders slack community. We have 41 other homesteaders on there, with more coming each day! You can read more about it below. I would honestly like to have you join us. :-)
https://steemit.com/steemithomesteaders/@greenacrehome/announcement-steemithomesteaders-slack-community
I just signed up 😊
Yay! See you there...
Thank you @greenacrehome for your entry in the Homestead Happiness contest. I totally get the Tangible Works.
I'm glad I was finally able to get it done!
not to mention the differences in why your tired at the end of the day one could have your mind tired from all the thinking and the other bone tired from physical activities :) but I like your tangibles and intangibles way of things better :) thanks for sharing and good luck :)
Thanks @freakygeak
absolutely great!!!
Thanks!!
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STOPI really have to agree that having something to actually see and touch is definitely something that adds to my overall homestead happiness! We built our chicken coop, my duck hut, and I built a coop from a table, all on my own. Building is key maybe... Haha
It does feel good, like putting your mark on the world. HA!
Very well put, @greenachrehome. If we only existed for the intangible mind-work that is so common today, we wouldn't need our bodies. We might as well be ethereal beings floating in subspace. But since we have them, we can use them move some things around. And since our body needs to eat, we might as well move things around in order to feed it. So it's just natural that we are drawn back to homesteading from the ethereal realm.
Well put, good (deep) thoughts. :-)
I bet you can't wait to get out of that dark, closed-in office every day. I would have never imagined you working in an office. And I applaud you for raising your boys the way you do. This world, especially in the last 10 years, is lacking good, strong men! I bet your boys love it too! :)
Now I have to ask... what did you sort of have in mind that I did? :-)
Nothing in particular but most definitely an outside job. :)
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