All these living things

We are down to just three chickens in our coop. These old hens do not produce much in the way of eggs anymore. We keep saying we'll get more chickens this spring, but life is busy and we haven't found the time yet. There is a part of me that doesn't want to do it all over again. The truth is I’m a little overloaded taking care of all the living things. We have aging parents that need us, a teenage daughter that keeps us moving with all of her sports, a rambunctious puppy and two old cats, and a huge garden that feeds us through the winter. But we I know we’ll get chickens. I know we will not just because of how much we like our organic eggs, but because they connect us to the community. Because we share our eggs with other living things: friends and neighbors. They return the favor in all kinds of ways, with baked goods and warm conversation.  Yes, caring for living things is hard work, but it’s the most important and satisfying work we do.