There’s a stack of cards that sit on a wooden stand on my bedroom windowsill. Every morning, I remove the front-facing card and place it at the end of the deck to expose a new one. On each card is a statement of reflection – part of an ongoing effort to develop my interior life.
The statements are quizzical in nature. I find myself pondering the declarations throughout the day, often reflecting on my actions into the evening. The stack of cards is strategically placed where it is one of the last things I see before turning off the lights and resting my head. There’s a bit of serenity that flows through my veins as I realize my actions of the day were a part of fulfilling this ongoing quest in faith. Or, there’s a dull nag telling me I need to do better at the next sunrise.
While these cards are intended for a Catholic’s faithful journey and some statements are clearly for that purpose, I’ve found others are more encompassing in the many facets of life.
The other day, the facing card aptly read, “We must study constantly to remain a valuable resource in our work.”
Sure, the statement readily speaks to the need for continued growth in my faith to serve as a disciple of His word, but it also spoke to me in a way that reminded me of the need for continued learning within our dairy industry.
You see, that statement came on a day when I was feeling overwhelmed with a to-do list and a bit lost as I caught up with all industry happenings since returning from maternity leave. It has never ceased to amaze me how quickly one can be all consumed with the world around them, and then in a short bit, that world blurs, as a small human being becomes your sole focal point.
Whether a dairy producer, herd manager, processing plant supervisor, industry ally such as myself – and everyone in between – there are countless ways to grow in our knowledge of the industry and be an esteemed resource for our dairy businesses and those we work with. Luckily for us, we’re in the midst of the learning season. Industry-wide trade shows began in early fall 2023 with the World Dairy Expo, continued through the new year with events such as Dairy Strong and World Ag Expo, and will go into the springtime with more regional trade shows and conferences. Local educators are also consumed with planning one-day workshops where the schedules are jam-packed with valuable information and agendas that allow you to leave the farm in the morning and be back before evening chores are complete. There are webinars offered weekly, new podcasts to download and newsletters to subscribe to.
At Progressive Dairy, we strive to be a resource for those in the industry, relaying knowledge and expertise from some of the best whizzes in their fields. Aside from our printed magazines, there are podcasts to listen to and newsletters to read, all with valuable information for any dairy operation. The content is also available on our website.
We’re fortunate to live in a time where there is a wealth of information available if we take the time to seek it out and then act on it appropriately. After spending much of my day pondering and acting on the card’s statement, I went to sleep that night feeling both at peace for what I retained in the day and also motivated to continue seeking out knowledge.
What are you doing to remain a valuable resource in your work?
