And so the New Year begins.
We’re feeding cows every morning and finding a kind of
reassurance in it. We know how to do this. Spread the bales out so everyone
gets their share, include lots of straw for energy when it’s cold, break the
ice on the troughs so the cows get a good drink, then reload for morning.
The New Year always brings up reflections of where we stand,
where we’ve been and where we’re going. It’s time to take a breath and
reevaluate our lives. Big questions like estate planning and how to provide for
a multigenerational family business always come up this time of year.
Family businesses can be the most difficult to navigate. Is
it really a business if you gather up the kids who’ve come home for the
holidays and feed cows on Christmas morning?
I composed a set of questions to give to all the members of
our family ranch. Easy questions – well most of them were easy. I meant them for
personal reflection, but to hopefully share with our spouses or with other family
members if we choose. What gives me joy
as I go about my daily life? What did my parents do that I want to emulate?
What role do I play on the ranch today and what are my fears regarding my role here
in the future?
The last question was the tough one. Tough for all three
generations. For each person or couple, much of the answer depends on what the other two generations decide.
We’re intertwined in many ways so unraveling it is a challenge.
My hope is that whatever we do, we do with clear intention.
I trust the intent of each one of us, and to be diligent in our actions
to meet that intent is all we can really offer to one another. And that’s
enough.
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| The cows are in two bunches, older and younger |
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| the ranch in holiday dressing |
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| lots of New Years since this was used |
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| a practically perfect Christmas morning |
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