For the entirety of our marriage, Alan’s career has been the backbone of our family’s income. In January, that stability was shaken when he was let go from his job. In the months leading up to this, Alan had been steadfast in advocating for his team, voicing concerns about practices that he believed undermined productivity and the long-term sustainability of the company. He has always been a person of principle, unwilling to compromise when it comes to the well-being of others.
When the news of his dismissal came, I wish I could say I wasn’t surprised. Yet, I was taken aback to see that standing up for better practices could lead to such punitive action. It was a harsh awakening, revealing the true nature of those he worked for—individuals who would rather jettison a dedicated employee than put in the effort to adapt or improve.
This experience has been heartbreaking but also enlightening. Coming to terms with the fact that Alan spent years working alongside people who chose convenience over integrity was difficult. However, what has proven even more challenging is recognizing how we, as a family, mirrored those same tendencies in our approach to building our farm.
For too long, we relied on Alan’s steady paycheck, treating our farm as a leisurely endeavor rather than committing our full, focused efforts to its development . We enjoyed the fun aspects of farm life while procrastinating on the hard work that needed to be done. This realization has become my greatest regret—not because of the loss of Alan’s income, but because I failed in leading our kids to what should already be one of their most proud and complete accomplishments.
If I had valued Alan’s contributions and efforts more, we could have navigated this transition differently. It’s a stark reminder that taking someone for granted has profound consequences, not just for the individual, but for the entire family. As we move forward, I hope to embrace this lesson and foster a greater sense of appreciation and accountability within our family.
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