The Hen House Community Group
This Group is for Hens only. A place where we can share and flock together:) May friendships grow here.
Once upon a time two brothers, who lived on adjoining farms, fell into conflict. It was the first serious rift in 40 years of farming side by side, sharing machinery, and trading labor and goods as needed without a conflict.
Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on the older brother’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s tool box.
“I’m looking for a few days’ work.” – he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with?”
“Yes.” – said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor; in fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll do him one better.”
“See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence –an 8-foot fence — so I won’t need to see his place or his face anymore.”
The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.
The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.
The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge — a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all — and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his arms outstretched — “You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.”
The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand.
They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder.
“No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother.
“I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, “but I have many more bridges to build.”
Author Unknown
Then the long collaboration fell apart. It began with a small misunderstanding and it grew into a major difference, and finally it exploded into an exchange of bitter words followed by weeks of silence.
One morning there was a knock on the older brother’s door. He opened it to find a man with a carpenter’s tool box.
“I’m looking for a few days’ work.” – he said. “Perhaps you would have a few small jobs here and there I could help with?”
“Yes.” – said the older brother. “I do have a job for you. Look across the creek at that farm. That’s my neighbor; in fact, it’s my younger brother. Last week there was a meadow between us and he took his bulldozer to the river levee and now there is a creek between us. Well, he may have done this to spite me, but I’ll do him one better.”
“See that pile of lumber by the barn? I want you to build me a fence –an 8-foot fence — so I won’t need to see his place or his face anymore.”
The carpenter said, “I think I understand the situation. Show me the nails and the post-hole digger and I’ll be able to do a job that pleases you.”
The older brother had to go to town, so he helped the carpenter get the materials ready and then he was off for the day.
The carpenter worked hard all that day measuring, sawing, nailing. About sunset when the farmer returned, the carpenter had just finished his job.
The farmer’s eyes opened wide, his jaw dropped. There was no fence there at all. It was a bridge — a bridge stretching from one side of the creek to the other! A fine piece of work, handrails and all — and the neighbor, his younger brother, was coming toward them, his arms outstretched — “You are quite a fellow to build this bridge after all I’ve said and done.”
The two brothers stood at each end of the bridge, and then they met in the middle, taking each other’s hand.
They turned to see the carpenter hoist his toolbox onto his shoulder.
“No, wait! Stay a few days. I’ve a lot of other projects for you,” said the older brother.
“I’d love to stay on,” the carpenter said, “but I have many more bridges to build.”
Author Unknown
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89FNo energy, just going to do whatever. Sandra, It's hard to move at a certain time in life. You've been in your home forever, at least you'll be able to travel to the beach and enjoy. Oh, we did hear Boris Johnson's tenure ended due to a series of ethics scandals, accusations of dishonesty and a final collapse of government support that forced his recognation. What he didn't do like the...
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88FWhat I do like is early morning clouds and then they disappear and the sun comes out. That was it's cooler in the morning. I'm sitting here looking out the window at the hummingbird with the river and dike as a back drop. It's hard to invision ever leaving but I'm also a realist with aging, especially when the luncheon we had with thirty former classmates on Monday. Sandra, we get news of...
A few years back my step daughter was going through serious drug issues and was going through rehab while in a street side recovery house so it was very dangerous that she might go back to drugs. He mother was going through a time of her own and was being a very negative force so Laura was angry at her mother and backed away. I took a big risk and got Laura a job at my office knowing that it could backfire in my face. I was with her all through the first terrible year and all the troubles she had (numerous) and all the venom she had for her mother. Sometimes she was so justified but I kept steady and did the right thing and just said that one day she would reconcile and to be patient.
Laura came to her one year sobriety and asked me to speak for her on behalf of her family. She didn't invite her mother. I was scared stiff, but did a beautiful speach from the heart and thanked the Narc Annon for helping support her and bringing her back to the family. There were many wet eyes (I feel like I'm bragging, but I'm not...... I tried real hard to let people know how special they were).
So, soon after, I guided Laura to make contact with her mother, and they did, and phone call after phone call, they got back together, then a BIG fight, then I guided another get together, and now 4 years later, they are inseperable.
Last month, was Laura's 4 year sobriety cake and this time I didn't do a speach because I thought it wasn't my place and let her mother have some spotlight. At the end of it all Laura came up and did a speach and thanked everyone and did this little talk about how in the fateful hard first year.......how her mother had been there for her and helped her pack her things from one apartment to another. That was the day that her mother was horrible to her. But, ........ She went to talk about how great her mother was.
I do understand, of course the connection between mother and daughter. That is why I connected the two. I knew I could never compete. I am only the 'step' mother. It hurts that no one sees the things that I do for the love of them. I just can't step up and say "hay, look what I did" because it is so boastful and cheapens the whole experience. It's a real catch 22. I know that things are to be done for the right reasons, even if no one knows you are doing it, but sometimes, just sometimes, it would be nice to not be in the shadows.
I guess that is my destiny in this life.
Thanks for giving me a safe place to share this. I'm sure I'm not the only one who gives without expecting anything in return. I was fine until Laura's speach thanking her mother for that year. But I guess her mother did teach her major lessons in life. My rational to all this.
Hugs, guys
Angela
Even if you feel you aren't getting the credit that would make you feel better, I believe that true charity is anonymous. And somebody knows...
Damnit...where are the tissues!
i've tried to be a bridge builder, but i'm afraid i'm being a fence builder where i live. i don't like it, but i try to keep people at arm's length since so many are takers. i will keep trying though.
thanks for the inspiration.
Hugs serenity