From time to time, each one of us needs a helping hand. Along our road, we have wonderful neighbors. We all mind our own business, but if any one of us needs something, we can count on each other to help. After all, it’s the neighborly thing to do.
One day when we were trying to button up our second crop hay, wouldn’t you know, our baler broke. We had what would amount to two wagon loads full of dry, baled hay left – if we could get it off the field, that is.
It was the tail end of a Saturday. No implement dealers were open to fix broken equipment, so my husband looked at me and wondered aloud if we should ask to borrow our neighbor’s baler.
I was hesitant because I don’t like to use anyone else’s equipment. I am on high alert when I use our own, much less someone else’s! We actually didn’t have a choice, however, as the weatherman was forecasting rain that evening. We had to get the hay off the field.
My husband unhooked the tractor from our baler and drove it over to our neighbor’s, thinking we’d hook our tractor up to his baler. Meanwhile, I started evening chores. Presently, I noticed our neighbor’s tractor and baler going by with my husband at the wheel. Our neighbor not only loaned us his baler, but his tractor, too!
My husband had instructed me to bring out an empty wagon after a certain time frame, so keeping one eye on the clock, I fed cows, my calves and heifers, and then backed up a tractor to an empty wagon and headed down to the field to relieve my husband so he could start milking.
Warily, I hopped up into our neighbor’s tractor cab, and my husband started explaining how things worked: how to put it in gear, how to turn the power-take-off on, where the hydraulic pump lever was that turns the cage one way or the other so I wouldn’t have bales flying over the rack on me.
I was trying very hard not to think too much as he was quickly running through the checklist. I tend to think ahead when I’m getting directions and do not just shut my brain down, open my ears and listen!
He got out, stepped back and watched me bale, making sure I was OK before he took off with the full load, back to the farm to start milking. I gave him a thumbs up, and I was on my own. I settled down and it went well. Our neighbor has a nice John Deere tractor and his baler is exactly like ours, so I moved right along and got the whole field off.
After dropping the full load at our farm, I drove the tractor and baler back to our neighbor’s. Of course, I couldn’t figure out how to shut the tractor off, so walking into his barn I thanked him very much for the use of his equipment, told him my husband would come back to settle up and lastly, sheepishly, I asked, “How do I turn your tractor off?”
I have to say that I’ve been known to ask “Captain Obvious” questions from time to time. One day when our middle son was home he had been doing barn chores and had come in the house a bit early. Looking at him I asked, “You’re done already?”
“No, Mom. I’m still in the barn.”
One day, my husband asked me to take a full wagon of feed out to the cow pasture where our herd was waiting. “Should I shut the gate after?” I asked. He paused, waiting for my question to register with my brain.
So when I had asked our neighbor how to turn his tractor off, he pointedly looked at me and said firmly but not unkindly, “You. Pull. The. Red. Knob. Out.” I felt like I had flunked third grade.
Later that evening, my husband and I discussed how much to give our neighbor. After all, we not only borrowed his equipment but also used his baler twine and his fuel, too. We agreed on a price, and the next day my husband ran an envelope over to his house and stuck it in his door.
Within 15 minutes our neighbor brought it back saying, “I was kinda hoping you’d have to use my baler so I could pay you back! I got my manure spreader stuck this winter and you pulled me out, I used your gravity boxes when I picked my corn, and once in a while you let me use your kick racks. You don’t owe me anything!”
It’s wonderful to have help and/or equipment ready and willing when the need arises. After all, it’s the neighborly thing to do.
(“The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.’ ‘Well said, Teacher,’ the man replied. ‘You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but Him. To love Him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.’” Mark 12:31-33)
Categories
