Shifting to a healthy focus
I have often had comments from my readers, and even at times from Western Producer editorial staff, that my columns focus too much on unhealthy and unhappy marriages.
This happens because I try to respond to the letters I receive from readers and most of my mail happens to be from people who are unhappy and hurting in their marriages. People who are happy seldom write letters about their happiness, except to close friends and family.
I’d like to balance this out with the co-operation of you, my readers. After all, articles in The Western Producer about farm families include those that are doing well, despite the current hardships.
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On the bright side
If readers send me success stories of their marriages and family lives, I’ll include some of these periodically in my columns. I am particularly interested in how farm families cope with the restricted time they have to spend with each other.
Many couples get a lot of strength from their religious faith. I respect this. But I also believe that faith is personal, and although I am happy for it and respect it, I won’t deal with letters that try to persuade others that their particular faith journey is what others should also definitely follow.
A lot of off-farm work involves shift work, or working away from home for long periods. There are some jobs, like northern mining, when you are only home every second week. Other jobs with 12-hour shifts allow little time to do anything else but work, sleep and eat.
Perhaps as a couple you don’t have this stress, but you may have friends that do. I’d be pleased to hear their stories as well, and of course, as has been the case for more than 20 years, I try to disguise facts to provide anonymity.
