Life Is What You Make It!

Truck Trail leading out of the state forest.

Our Peaceful Forest Homestead is completely surrounded by the Ludlow State Forest. This is one of the most beautiful forests in our area of New York. In fact, that is why so many hikers take advantage of the Finger Lakes Trail which runs right through this forest and on both sides of our property. It is nothing new to hear voices of hikers as they make way along the trail. Our horses get excited by the sound of the voices hoping to catch a glimpse of the hikers, but sadly, they are not in sight of our homestead. I guess it is pretty isolated out here for our three mares.

Truck Trail turns into Enggaard Road.

Living out here has been good for me. It has taught me how to survive in conditions that I would have normally never encountered. My life before this move was pretty normal along with everyone else's type of lives. I remember our mothers especially, tried to discourage us in moving here and living this lifestyle. They were afraid we'd have a "hard life." Well, to tell the truth, I felt my life was always hard before this change. My life always seemed centered on things that were others' choices,  not my own. What about your choices? Are they really your choices? You count too, you know!

I have a close friend who has had the desire to live the homesteading lifestyle ever since I have known her. She has tried to achieve it over and over. She will move out into the country and stock her pasture with sheep and goats. She will add chickens and angora rabbits to her little homestead. She is a spinner and knits and crochets beautiful things. She will make delicious goats' milk cheese. Yet constantly puts herself down, saying that she is not a homesteader for some reason or other. She is hung on those little rules. There are NO rules. Just the limitations we put on our ourselves. Do you do that to yourself? Do you say you can't do something until (put whatever here)?

Enggaard Road becomes a seasonal road as it goes into the state forest.

If you put your life in God's hands he will help you. I believe strongly in the power of prayer. I use it daily. I even use the "praying without ceasing" method, where I just pray all day long about something. Even while I am working. So if you really desire something in your life you will suddenly find it there or the possiblity of it. I have seen that happen many times in my own life.

The saying, "life is what you make it," is so true. I met a couple from Virginia who have followed me since my first article in Countryside magazine, which was some years back. I think 2002. They came out here to meet us a couple of years ago and they became friends. We keep in touch. Well I have seem them purchase their own homestead recently. It is awesome to see this take place. To feel that in some small measure, I influenced them to take the steps to get what they both desired. They found a way to do it! Can you find the way to do what you really want to do too?

The hay field running along Enggaard Road. I love this field!

Whatever you want to do, you must start doing something toward that goal. Don't put it off. Start small and then little by little, do more. If it is something as simple as cutting your budget, losing weight, having a family, starting your own business or becoming a self-sufficient modern homesteader..........just make a list of how you can achieve it and get started down that road. Now....... is all you can count on in life!  Don't live in the past or the future. That past is gone, so don't dwell on what might have been. The future is coming, so is not here yet, and you don't know what that will bring. The present is here, you know you have today...........so make the best of it!

Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole