It’s a steamy summer night in South Dakota. The sun is kissing the prairies goodbye, painting the sky golden colors of orange, red, purple, and blue. The grill is sizzling with steaks as the girl’s mouth waters with hunger after a long days work outside with the show cattle. She sits on the porch swing with her dad with a glass of ice-cold lemonade in hand. The ice chinks against the glass, the swings creaks back and forth, and the duo idly dangles their feet off the swing. Laughter fills the air as the family meets to enjoy a thick juicy flat iron steak. They eat outside, not quite ready to let go of the joys of a summer night in South Dakota. In the silence of eating their favorite meal, crickets start to chirp and chatter. They get louder and louder as the locusts join in. It seems these summer bugs have lots to discuss.
On a night in Washington D.C., it occurred to me that I was missing something. Suddenly I realized that there are no crickets in the city that never sleeps. I look around—no porch swing, no grill, no steaks, no sunset, no family, no cattle. It hits me like a stack of books during finals week at school: I haven’t seen my family, my farm, my beloved cows since May. It’s a discerning thought, one that has me counting the days until I leave the glittering city lights and the pounding cement streets. I realized that I’m the only cricket here!
Call me nostalgic, but I really miss those darn cows. I miss the smell of fresh woodchips and the cool of the whizzing fans in the show barn, I miss the beller of a mama cow looking for her adventurous calf as he races through the grass with his cohorts, I miss the water fights with my sisters and the debates with my parents. I miss the ease in which I can talk about the beef industry that I love with the people that are dearest to my heart.
Then another thought comes to me. I’m in D.C. for a very important reason. I’m here to spread my wholesome Christian values, to share my Midwest hard work ethic, and to explain the agriculture story with consumers. Even though I’m not enjoying a typical South Dakota summer, I have taken all that is me to D.C. I’ve stepped out of my comfort zone into a whole different world. Three weeks is all I have left here and that’s plenty of time to make a difference. Even if I can’t hear the crickets chirp, I know they still have a song to sing. I may be the only cricket here, but I promise I’m still singing. God Bless!
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Comments (7)
We miss you too! We had steak sizzlers, corn on the cob, creamy cucumbers, and fruit salad the other night. It was an awesome meal!!!!! The only way to make it better would be to have you home. We love you!
Posted by Peggy Nolz | July 24, 2007 8:18 AM
Posted on July 24, 2007 08:18
Sounds yummy! Thanks mom! I love you guys too!
Posted by Amanda Nolz | July 24, 2007 9:25 AM
Posted on July 24, 2007 09:25
Amanda -- It was great to see you at USDA back in June and at the Summer Conference last week in Denver. Thanks for everything you are doing to spread your Christian values, midwesterm work ethic and the story of how beef is produced. Keep up the good work and I'll see you somewhere down the trail...
Daren
Posted by Daren Williams | July 24, 2007 1:15 PM
Posted on July 24, 2007 13:15
Thanks Daren! It was great to see you too! Thanks for stopping by!
Posted by Amanda Nolz | July 24, 2007 7:21 PM
Posted on July 24, 2007 19:21
Amanda Jo,
I am so very proud of you for always telling your story to enlighten others. You have broadened your horizons this summer with USDA and other opportunities.
It is not easy to take the path less traveled, but I know that your cricket chirping can be heard resoundingly in the people you interact with every day.
Thanks for being my inspiration in life,
Travis
Posted by Travis Hoffman | July 24, 2007 8:06 PM
Posted on July 24, 2007 20:06
Thanks for giving me so much a support and for being my biggest fan! It means a lot to me!
Posted by Amanda Nolz | July 24, 2007 8:43 PM
Posted on July 24, 2007 20:43
Very cute title, I can only imagine how it must feel to be the only cricket in that big city! You ARE there for a reason, to be a light, inspiration and voice for the industry in a city that knows very little about our way of life. Make the most of it Amanda and keep on pluggin away :)
Posted by Chris Molinaro | July 26, 2007 7:28 PM
Posted on July 26, 2007 19:28