The Rural Voice, 1979-04, Page 28The Voice of A Farmer
by Adrian Vos
We were grateful for what we got
In about two weeks we will be celebrating 'Good Friday.' In
Holland, where I grew up, Good Friday is not a holiday. The day
off is reserved for Ascension Day, 45 days later.
But in our family we all went to church in the evening. When I
was small, I could never understand what was so good about the
crucifixion , and even when it was explained later, I still
couldn't get very enthusiastic. I still don't quite understand why
it had to happen.
The following Sunday was much more cheerful Not only was
Christ risen again, but nature was visibly rejoicing in the event.
The crocus and daffodil stuck their heads, crowned with
gorgeous spring colours, through the late snow or the still bare
ground of the flower beds.
Young green sprouts of the new grass worked their way
through the dismal old brown mat left over from the last year.
And hidden in the yard were the very eggs we had been
laboriously painting the night before.
For the little ones they were hidden in the easy places, and the
older ones were told to leave them alone. For the older the search
may have been on the ground, while the egg rested comfortably
in the crotch of the old apple tree.
Father and Mother would be watching with an indulgent
expression on their faces. Then the eggs were ceremoniously
eaten. Those who had found more than their share would part
with their surplus in favour of the less fortunate. I can't
remember the eggs tasting that good. After all, they were
just cold, hard-boiled eggs, with funny faces painted on them.
But such a let -down 'lever bothered anyone.
Better tasting were the eggs brought by the Easter Bunny. He
was sometimes made of chocolate, and at other times out of
sugar. But he always had a basket on his back, filled with the
sweetest eggs. Since money for candy was scarce then, we
hoarded these eggs for the longest time. Usually we took only
one a day, and it was a good time to take one after the daily
ordeal of the spoonful of cod-liver oil.
I don't wish the time back when we were grateful for a small
sugar egg.It must have been heart -breaking for our parents not
to be able to give us more, but for us, the children, the
depression was not all that bad.
The feeling of being treated badly as far as income is
`concerned, comes from the comparison with more affluent circles
of our society. If all everyone has is a bicycle, there will be
comparison with a better bicycle, with more chorme, but not with
an automobile. One doesn't think of ever possessing such a
machine until the neighbour buys one.
Soon a person becomes disgruntled, for he sees that is is
possible to have more. When before he was happy to fill the
stomachs of his family, now he wants to drive them to the beack
But his income is below his neighbour who has more skills.
Soon he finds a reason to have the same income. His work is
much harder, even if it needs less skill, and so it goes on. We,
the farmers are no different. Why, we reason, should a labourer
with only one skill and no investment, have the same income as
we have? And so it goes on in an endless spiral.
If we draw comparisons with our neighbours, we will have
valid reasons to complain; if we draw comparisons with our
fathers we should be very grateful.
PG. 28 THE RURAL VOICE/APRIL 1979
A4eet..the man who
maintains the quality of
Shur Gain Feed
DOUG GILKINSON
Doug Gilkinson is the production foreman for
Shur Gain farm service Listowel. His 17 years
of experience in the feed business qualifies
him as one of the top production men in feed
manufacturing to -day.
Let Doug and his team of experts
use their skills for you to -day
SHUR-GAIN
FARAA SHUR6AINJ
SERVICE
250 Wallace Ave. S.
Listowel
291-4660