Working around farmers and people who are genuinely curious about the world has reminded me of something I believe we desperately need: community where people can talk freely.

Not everyone has to agree.

Not everyone has to see things the same way.

But there is something beautiful about being able to sit around a table, in a barn, at a market, in a greenhouse, or around a campfire and simply talk about what is happening in the world.

The Beauty of Free Speech

One of the things I have appreciated most this season is the freedom to have these open conversations.

People bring different news stories, different experiences, different perspectives, and different questions. Sometimes we agree. Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes someone shares something that makes you stop and think.

And that’s okay.

In fact, I think that’s healthy.

We don’t grow by only listening to people who think exactly like we do.

We grow when we’re willing to listen, ask questions, consider another perspective, and then take those thoughts home and think about them for ourselves.

There is something refreshing about being around people who aren’t afraid to ask questions.

People who want to know why.

People who aren’t satisfied with simply accepting everything at face value.

People who are paying attention.

I have come to appreciate what I would call the “wide-awake” community—people who are engaged with life, who are curious, who are willing to have meaningful conversations, and who want to understand what is happening around them.

It’s not about having all the answers.

It’s about staying awake enough to keep asking good questions.

Food Has a Way of Bringing People Together

And then there is the food.

Real food has a way of bringing people together like almost nothing else and today as we are talking about the importance of knowing where our food comes from we are able to source and find out who grows what and where we can get it. 

Fresh vegetables coming out of the soil.

Eggs.

Meat.

Fresh bread.

Garden produce.

Preserves.

Fermented foods.

Meals shared around a table.

Someone discovering a new way to cook something.

Someone else sharing a family recipe.

Another person talking about something that helped them feel better.

Someone passing along a tip about growing food, preserving it, fermenting it, or supporting the body’s natural detoxification processes.

These conversations are valuable.

There is so much wisdom sitting in ordinary people.

Sometimes it’s the farmer who has been working with the soil for forty years.

Sometimes it’s the grandmother who has been making food from scratch her entire life.

Sometimes it’s the person who has spent years researching nutrition because they wanted to take greater responsibility for their own wellbeing.

And sometimes it’s simply a friend saying, “You should try this.”

We can learn so much from one another.

Learning to Care for the Whole Person

One thing this season has reinforced for me is that health isn’t simply about food.

Food matters.

Movement matters.

Sleep matters.

Time outside matters.

Relationships matter.

Rest matters.

But so does what is happening inside of us.

Our thoughts.

Our worries.

Our hopes.

Our faith.

Our purpose.

Our connection to God.

We can eat the best food in the world and still need community.

We can exercise every day and still need someone to pray with us.

We can take care of our bodies while neglecting our souls.

And that is why Christian community has become such a precious part of this journey for me.

The Power of Prayer

There is something different about praying with other people.

When someone is struggling, we don’t simply give advice.

We pray.

When someone is celebrating, we give thanks.

When someone doesn’t know what to do next, we ask God for wisdom.

When someone is hurting, we stand beside them.

When someone is carrying a burden, we remind them that they don’t have to carry it alone.

This is what Christian community is supposed to be.

Not perfect people.

Not people who have everything figured out.

Just people willing to walk together, encourage one another, speak truth in love, and keep pointing one another back to Christ.

“Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.” — Galatians 6:2 KJV

That verse has taken on new meaning for me.

Because sometimes the greatest gift we can give another person isn’t an answer.

It’s simply our presence.

A listening ear.

A meal.

A prayer.

A hug.

A reminder that they are not alone.

God Knows Who We Need Along the Way

Looking back on this season, I am struck by how many different people God has brought across my path.

Farmers.

Workers.

Families.

Entrepreneurs.

Health-conscious people.

People asking big questions.

People searching for truth.

People of faith.

People who are simply trying to figure life out.

Some conversations lasted only a few minutes.

Others lasted hours.

Some people may only have been in my life for a season.

But I believe there is purpose in the people God places in our path.

Sometimes we think we’re going somewhere because of the work.

And then we discover the real gift was the people we met along the way.

That has certainly been true for me this season.

Staying Awake, Staying Grounded

I want to continue surrounding myself with people who are willing to think, question, listen, learn, laugh, pray, and live intentionally.

People who care about where their food comes from.

People who care about their health.

People who care about their families.

People who care about their communities.

People who aren’t afraid of a good conversation.

And most importantly, people who understand that there is something bigger than ourselves.

For me, that is Jesus Christ.

He is the foundation underneath everything else.

Because being “wide awake” isn’t simply about knowing what is happening in the world.

It is about knowing Who we belong to.

It is about learning to discern.

Learning to love.

Learning to serve.

Learning to forgive.

Learning to trust God when we don’t have all the answers.

And learning to walk through life together.

What a Gift

As this farming season comes to a close, I find myself feeling incredibly grateful.

Grateful for the soil.

Grateful for the food.

Grateful for the farmers who work so hard.

Grateful for the people who shared their knowledge.

Grateful for the meals and conversations.

Grateful for the laughter.

Grateful for the questions.

Grateful for the people who challenged me to think.

Grateful for the people who prayed.

Grateful for the people who showed up.

And grateful for a God who continually places people in our path at just the right time.

What a gift it is to find your people.

What a gift it is to be able to speak freely, listen openly, and share life without needing everyone to agree.

What a gift it is to sit around a table with good food and good people.

What a gift it is to pray together.

What a gift it is to learn from one another.

And what a gift it is to walk through this life wide awake—with our eyes open, our minds engaged, our hearts grounded, and our faith firmly rooted in Christ.

I don’t know exactly what the next season will bring.

But I know this:

God is good.

And I am deeply thankful for every person He has brought across my path.

Here’s to the farmers, the growers, the thinkers, the question-askers, the prayer warriors, the truth-seekers, the community builders—and everyone who is willing to stay awake to the beautiful, messy, meaningful gift that is life.

What a season.
What a community.
What a gift.

— Claire Rae