It was a crazy morning when the call that changed everything came. The calm voice of my lawyer on the other end of the phone told me the news that would change my life: my grandfather had died and left me the farm he loved.
I was shocked and silent as thoughts of sun-drenched fields, the old barn that creaked, and the sweet smell of fresh hay filled my mind. I hadn’t been to the farm in years because it was in foreclosure and I owed money that had to be paid by Christmas.
There was a mix of memories and doubt in me when I got to the farm. The place that used to feel familiar now felt strange and familiar at the same time. I met Richard there. He was a nice guy who knew my grandpa and offered to help me figure out what to do with the farm’s future.
I found my grandfather’s will in a secret envelope while we were decorating the Christmas tree together. I learned that the farm was properly mine, which was both shocking and enlightening. When I found out this new information, I had to face my cousin Jeremy, who had already paid off the loan and was set on selling the farm.
The argument that followed was very emotional, and you could feel Jeremy’s frustration and anger. But with Richard’s help and advice, we were able to find a way forward that would bring our family closer together in the end.
We (Jeremy, Richard, and I) became closer over shared holiday routines and memories as the season went on. The farm, which used to stand for conflict and uncertainty, became a sign of hope and union.
Jeremy chose to stay on the farm in the end, and we worked together to make it look like it did when it was first built. I knew that my grandfather’s spirit was safe when I saw the green fields and the old barn that had been fixed up and was now thriving. Thank you to family, kindness, and love, the farm was saved when it was almost destroyed.
