farms visted and minds opened.

You know how I know it's spring??



Last weekend my boyfriend and I visited a farm that he helps out at sometimes (moving calves- reigning them in from various escapades.) I don't accompany him much, but the spring time is definitely worth the view.



The visit was accentuated by a free-spirited farmer that told us stories of some of the calf births this year: shoelaces tied to the babies, trying to help the birthing process. One of the farm dogs finding a newly born calf that wasn't doing well, and leading the farmer to it, saving it's new little life...

The divergence of the situation from my normal every day life reminded me of why I love this town so much.

Currently I'm living in the town I grew up in, in BC, Canada. One of my favorite things about it- something that drew me back to it after my university degree and travels- is the range of culture the population here embodies.




In high school the diversity was most evident, and can simply be broken down into a terrible term: 'cliques'.

Clique: a stereotypical idea binding the members of the group into a strict boundary of interests, activities, and spirit.

During high school these groups, activities and interests made people pre-judge and scoff at each other. This is one of my biggest regrets of this age. If I, as a future teacher can limit the amount of typecasting, I will have given a gift.

I'm not sure what it is, if it's simply safe to "know" what or who a person is, before you ask the questions or allow them to show you. Or if humans are, in fact, judgmental by nature. But what I do know is that maturity has cultivated a more open-minded view; now I find excitement in meeting someone and finding out what their adventure of life contains whether it be... birthing calves, mining copper, or designing handbags.

My hometown inhabits an impressive range of "types" if I may call them that. People who come across first as 'farmers', 'city folk', 'hipsters', 'rebellious teenagers', 'bureaucratic business owners', and 'hippies'. I could go on more to pigeon hole these people, but as I've learned everyone surprises you and has a range of thoughts and feelings they abide by.

Having these diverse conventions around my town growing up raised me to be a bit of a city-hippy-outdoors woman-girly girl. I know even this definition is constantly changing. As I am impacted by those around me the array of pigeon holes I occupy will grow.

The ability to open my mind to allow people to show me who they are and what experiences they have had, while inhibiting pre-judgment has made me a more well rounded person.

The visit to the farm reminded me of this... and the fact that spring babies are pretty darn cute.





Oh, and boo-yah:




#7 and #5 off my spring list done and DONE.

what was I saying? Oh yes... maturity.