Happy March to one and all!
Yes, we have made it through February and are turning that corner to spring!
As one would expect, I did some reading this past month—one rotator cuff surgery, a biopsy, and two lumpectomies give one time to read and reflect. And, of course, I must share something I read with you!
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A friend loaned me a book which is the diary of a lady coming across the plains in 1865. It is entitled Days on the Road: Crossing the Plains in 1865; The Diary of Sarah Raymond Herndon. She was a single lady, on the road with her widowed mother and two younger brothers, and she was a delightful writer, so full of wonder, joy, and perseverance.
The pleasant thing about this writing—there have been many “on the road” diaries published - and as mentioned in the prologue, this one stands out because it is not just a laundry list of complaints. As Mary Barmeyer O’Brien wrote:
“Women’s diaries in general differ from those of the men who undertook the westward journey. Men, of necessity, were nearly obsessed with the logistics of the trip, and wrote about their concerns in their journals. They recorded how many miles were covered each day, which rivers were crossed, and how the animals were holding out. The constant search for adequate grass and water for the livestock made its way into their diaries regularly. Guarding the camp at night, greasing the wagon wheels, hunting for meat – all these formed the basis of a typical overland account written by a man.
Women, on the other hand, wrote more often of the human issues, offering an entirely different – and invaluable – perspective on western history. Their diaries described the warm friendships they formed, worries about their children, and their selfless and compassionate care for those who were sick. They told of agonizing deaths from cholera or injuries and about the flirting that went on between single young men and women around the campfires. They described their frustration at baking biscuits in a finicky sheet-iron stove or burning beans over a smokey campfire (and the disgusting buffalo chips they had to use for fuel). They showed their joy at finding a goose egg or a handful of ripe currants along the way, and described what it was like to roll out piecrust on a wooden wagon seat. They expressed their strong faith in God and their pleasure at occasional trailside church services. And, despite fatigue and overwhelming amounts of sheer labor, they took time to record these events faithfully.”
One of Miss Raymond’s (for she was a single lady at the writing) entries spoke to me so beautifully and I must share it.
“We passed the summit of the Rockies today, and are camping on the western or Pacific slope tonight. The ascent has been so gradual we should not have known when we reached the top but for the little rivulets running in different directions. Quite on the summit and very near to each other we saw two little rivulets starting on their way; one to meander toward the Pacific, while the other will empty its confluence into the Mississippi, and thence on to the Gulf. Just a scoopful of earth could change the course of either where they started – from the same spring really. As it is, how widely different the scenes through which they will pass. So it is with human lives – a crisis is reached, a decision is made, and in one short hour the whole trend of our life is changed with regard to our surroundings, associates, environments, etc.”
What a statement! “In one short hour the whole trend of our life is changed…” As we begin this bright, shiny, greening month of March, perhaps one thing we should consider is how our decisions can change entire destinies. It is my prayer that those of you reading this will stop to consider it as well. As we begin this new season, let us attempt to choose wisely. Choose well. And choose God.
Happy Spring!
L. K. Houk
I have four books out in the Down Home on the Farm series. You can find them listed on Amazon or you can get them directly from me. For information about my books, further reading comprehension questions on each book, and future releases, please visit my website: LKHouk.com