“What Does That Mean- ‘Ephemeral’?”

March 24, 2015 by Melinda Haas 5 Comments

“But what does that mean- ‘ephemeral’?” repeated the little prince, who never in his life had let go of a question, once he had asked it. 

“It means, ‘which is in danger of speedy disappearance.'”

“Is my flower in danger of speedy disappearance?”

“Certainly it is.”

-The Little Prince 

I began reading The Little Prince today. How this gem has escaped all the years of my life until this point, I cannot tell you. But what I can tell you is that it’s a real tear jerker. I’ve already cried a few times.

But if you know me, you know that I’ll admit it– I’m a crier anyway.

The book has already touched my soul in ways that it has touched so many others, but this part I’ve quoted above spoke to me in ways that might be different than others.

It made me remember exactly why I’m here. (Because no matter how excellent things have been here in this new place, I’ve still had my moments where I wonder exactly that, “What am I doing?” Not just here… but with my life in general. Does anyone really know?)

I’m here because flowers, and anything that grows from the incredible ground that makes up this earth, are ephemeral, at least according to the definition in this work of fiction.

lucky me, I get to work HERE (Oh, and there’s Meggie!)

I drove up to this place two and a half weeks ago, excited and emotional, because I already have a sense of the importance of things growing the way they should. It’s not something I want to get preachy about… but it’s something I could speak about with passion until the cows come home.

I believe that hands should get dirty. They should work. They should do all they can to make the world a better place. I would go as far as to say that the onion I planted on this day is in danger of a speedy disappearance. (With all the buttons beings pressed these days to get things done, working hands might be quite ephemeral, too.)

my new motto: Happy hands = happy heart

Anywho, the little prince left home. Just like me. He learns a lot.

I’ve already learned a lot since I left the comforts of my hometown:

1) Friends are to be found, no matter what. I’ve already lost count of people I’ve met who were kind, gave me a smile (and even a hug!!) and were great to be around. I knew it would happen, but I wondered how long it would take to feel like I belonged in Wisconsin in any sort of way.

This is largely due to the owner of this farm, Diane:

making soil blocks and seeding

2) Playing “Would You Rather” is a great way to get to know your coworkers. Here’s my roommate, Meggie. (She is the QUEEN of this game… the stuff she comes up with!)

lunch time

3) Having bonfires and playing music is good for the soul. I mean, really, isn’t that just the coolest thing? The night we jammed around the fire, I felt like I was in a book. (AJ and I are going to start practicing for open mics!!! Music continues for me….. another thing I thought might be lost.)

kept us warm

4) Sometimes, ideas we had for our futures are completely wrong. Sometimes, they just change a bit. A few years ago, someone very important in my life gave me this message, and I had it tattooed on my arm:

Welp! Would you take a look at the Borner Farm’s logo?

grow! always

I feel as though this has been a huge sign, the idea of growth. I’ve certainly grown as a person, and in the last few years, it was anything but easy. I felt ephemeral. But here’s that word again, and I’m not going to stop trying, or growing, into the Melinda I most want to be.

5) Even the flat (ish) land out here is charming. Even the long snowfall (compared to Albuquerque’s ten minutes at a time) is beautiful. Walking to the grocery store is an adventure. Vests really DO keep you WARM!!

brrr

The little prince travels all over. He meets weird adults. He misses his flower and wants to protect it.

Reading this book, I remembered a time in my life when I wanted to be the flower.

Now, I realize that maybe I’m more of a prince(ss), and I can care for something.

I plan to plant some roots and watch them grow. 

What’s Ephemeral in your world? What are you doing to secure its presence?

Love,

hi!

Farmer Lou