There is always something to do on the farm (of Life)

When I was writing my doctoral thesis, I came across the saying that "there is always something to do on the farm" - which turns out to apply to life in its most fundamental basis, as well as extended personal projects. 

The saying refers to the idea that - no matter what the season or weather - there are many jobs that could be done and which contribute positively to the running of a farm. 

If the farmer cannot always be ploughing, harrowing, planting, harvesting; then there are animals to feed and clean, building and fences that require maintenance, buying and selling, paperwork, learning and teaching relevant crafts... 

Some things on the farm are more important or urgent than the others, and the times and circumstances for their completion are more restricted. The Big Jobs ought to be attempted when the situation is optimal. One must make hay when the sun shines, else the animals will have nothing to eat in the winter. 

The application to my thesis was that there were days and times when I could not compose the text and organize the structure, times when I could not even edit and improve what I had done. But there was always something to do... There were diagrams and tables to make; information to comprehend; references to find, read and compile... In short, there was always something I could be doing towards getting the thesis.

But it strikes me that this general principle applies metaphorically to our personal lives, understood at the most fundamental level. We are here to learn; but what and how we learn is unique and also there are many and various possibilities. 

Our personal situation is unique, and there are a limitless number of things that "need" doing - but probably there are some spiritual things we ought to be doing that are more urgent and important; and these ought to be tackled when we are in the optimal state to tackle them. 

Negatively there are "repairs" than need doing, things broken are defective in us that are a threat to salvation or limit our spiritual learning. 

There are also positive potentials; such as creative and loving aptitudes, interests, vocations... which are ought to be developed. And these are best done - they should be done - whenever we are at our best, and whenever we can contrive or seize suitable situations. 

(Because if they aren't done then, they will not be done at all.) 

But most of the time we are not at our best and/or circumstances are adverse; and then it would be pointless or counter-productive to be aiming at the Big Stuff (...it is futile to harvest the corn before it is ripe, or during a thunderstorm).

And there are better or worse "farmers". 

Some worse farmers probably don't get further than the small stuff; they spend their whole lives making and mending fences but never get around to stocking the fields with cattle. These are the people who expend their entire efforts on non-urgent or peripheral things that ought to be fitted-in during some "rainy day" - they fail to do what is most needful. 

Others are lazy and do little; others work hard but spread themselves too thinly across too many tasks and do none of them well.  

Better farmers tackle those things that are most needful; and maybe they learn and develop some talent to a high level - are which there are no end of possibilities: ploughing, animal care or breeding, dry stone walling, cheese-making... 

But even these best farmers are not always, perhaps only seldom, at their best - and there are days when the weather is bad, or they themselves feel under the weather, and then they turn willingly to the innumerable small-but-useful jobs around the farm - tidying and cleaning a shed, perhaps.

Every farm is different, yet there is always something useful to do; as well as (not instead of) those biggest, most vital and crucial, jobs - the ones that we ought to be attempting whenever possible.