How Often Do We Feel Better After Helping Someone Else?

Recently, our 18-month-old daughter Elliot Rose began crying in her crib. Then we heard her doll crying. Soon there was complete silence. Upon walking into the room, Elliot was cradling her doll and offering her a bottle. Her doll had stopped crying and Elliot was calm as she attended to her little one. How often do we feel better after helping someone else?

As agriculturalists, we have accepted the calling of sharing our unique gifts to work together and help feed the world. We realize that our jobs are not easy and so many times I have witnessed and been inspired by our family of agriculturalists reaching out to encourage each other along this journey.

This support has been especially evident in the reaching out to future generations. I remember attending my very first Cumberland FFA banquet as a state FFA officer. I cried on the drive home because I was so touched by those in attendance who were supporting their area FFA members. Even after teaching at Cumberland for over a decade, I am still encouraged to see the support of our community through volunteer efforts, scholarship donations and sharing wisdom and guidance.

These same qualities of offering support, encouragement and resources are quite visible in members of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. Strengthening programs such as the Ag in the Classroom program, Young Farmer and Agriculturist program and FFA Farm Forum are simply a few examples of ways WFBF members reach out to future generations.

In the heart of winter, temperatures are cold and we often long for warmer days…sometimes to the point of bringing tears to our eyes. Please continue to help others.  It will definitely bring sunshine to your day!