Wise Advice from a Farmer's Wife

I have received a few emails that start out, "Wise advice from a Farmer's wife". The post are full of home-spun nuggets of wisdom. So I took a few of these sayings and turned them into a short story. Enjoy

On the edge of a small village nestled in the rolling hills, lived a wise farmer’s wife named Clara. Known for her resilience and warmth, she often shared nuggets of wisdom with anyone who stopped by. She had a way of making people feel like family, always inviting neighbors over for supper or offering advice that lingered long after the conversation ended.

One chilly autumn evening, a young woman named Emily, weary from life’s struggles, knocked on Clara’s door. Emily was on the verge of giving up. She had tried her hand at farming, but the crops had failed, the animals had gotten sick, and every plan she made seemed to crumble. She hoped Clara might have some secret to success.

"Come in, dear," Clara said with a warm smile. She led Emily to the kitchen, where a small light glowed softly in the window. "It’s late, but I always keep a light on. It reminds me that no matter how dark it gets, there’s always a way forward."

As Emily sipped on some soup, Clara shared stories of her own hardships—storms that destroyed crops, droughts that left her fields barren, and long, exhausting days of endless work. But she never spoke of giving up. Instead, she spoke of perseverance, with a lightness in her voice.

"When you borrow a pie pan, return it with a warm pie in it," Clara said, handing Emily a slice of homemade apple pie. "It’s a simple thing, but it’s about more than pie. It’s about putting good back into the world, even when you don’t feel you have much left to give."

Emily nodded, taking in the warm scent of cinnamon and apples, but Clara wasn’t done yet.

"And always invite lots of folks to supper, you can add more water to the soup if you need to. There’s always a way to make things stretch, just like your efforts. Sometimes, it feels like nothing’s enough, but when you keep going, you'll find what you have is more than enough."

Emily’s eyes filled with tears. She had been so focused on her failures, she hadn’t realized the importance of pressing on, of sharing, of adding water to the soup when times were tough.

Clara gave a knowing smile and said, "And never think of work as just ‘women’s work’ or ‘men’s work.’ On a farm—and in life—it’s all just work. You roll up your sleeves and do what needs doing."

The next morning, Emily left with a full heart, ready to tackle her challenges again. She wasn’t expecting miracles, but Clara’s final piece of advice echoed in her mind: "Make your home a happy place for yourself and others. People will always return to their happy place. And in time, you’ll find your hard work pays off."

As Emily walked down the dirt road, she looked back to see Clara waving from the porch, the light still glowing in the kitchen window.

And Emily knew, no matter how dark it got, there was always a way forward.