Have you ever experienced hearing a specific song, smelling a certain scent, or a seeing something vintage that brings you back to your youth? You know the sensation, it’s the one that reminds you of your childhood. It catapults you back in time to a different era. A time and place where you vividly experienced something you later realized was incredibly important in becoming the person you are today. Perhaps it was because of this particular experience, you became a stronger and more defined version of yourself.
In the summertime, there is one scent that always brings me back to my childhood. It is the smell of fresh cut hay. Growing up a hobby farm meant summers on the hayfield. It was more than a chore; it was an obligation to ensure our animals had enough to eat during the winter months. After my dad would mow a large field, it became my mine and my sister’s job to drive a tractor and rake the hay. I still remember the cadence of following the line of the field two times one way, one time the opposite way to make clear rows of cut grass for the bailer.
In the heat of the summer, my family would literally “make hay when the sun shines”. We would work together to make heavy square bales. My mom would drive the bailer while we took turns pulling up the 70–80-pound bales and stack them crisscross on racks to transport home only to unload and restack in the barn once again. This labor in the sun would leave my arms sore and my skin bronze. Yet, summer after summer, despite the occasional protest, we would continue the ritual.
I’m not saying I enjoyed all of my days on the hayfield. It was hard work. The heat could be brutal, the bugs relentless, and (to avoid a “farmers tan”) my selection of clothing would result in cuts and scrapes from the dry straw that stung my arms. Yet, when I think back, it was this summertime practice that became the foundation for my physical strength and mental work ethic. It defined me.
The process of making hay for our hobby farm had purpose. It provided nourishment for our cows and horses, which ultimately provided additional income for future college expenses. My family worked together to achieve the goal of filling the barn, and although I didn’t realize it at the time, it made us stronger together. It defined us.
I know each of us have different experiences during our childhood that were critical to becoming the people we are today. But for me, it will forever be the smell of fresh cut hay that brings me back to my youth. This experience is what made me a stronger version of myself. It’s my reminder that hard work makes me physically and mentally stronger. It’s my reminder that cuts and scrapes will disappear, but work ethic remains.
KerryOn Questions
- What is the sensation that brings you back to your youth? - What experiences made you the person you are today?
- How can you leverage these experiences to become stronger?
The Kerry behind KerryOn
My name is Kerry K. Fierke, Ed.D. (pron. Fear-Key) I have a unique combination of skills and experience – decades of fast-paced corporate experience in Fortune 100 companies and large health care organizations, combined with the academic rigor of a highly ranked research university. My focus is supporting others to create their own path to leadership development, lifelong learning, and a unique leadership legacy. Take a moment to focus on leadership, then KerryOn!
To see all KerryOn's and other leadership stuff, visit www.kerrykfierke.com.
The smell of a certain soap brings me back to my grandparent's house and family gatherings we used to have there. My grandma always had a certain soap that scented the bathroom. Family gatherings there shaped how I view family dynamics,; what's normal to discuss, who is around at gatherings. Now that I'm starting my own family, I'm starting to realize that my view of family dynamics is biased and that what my family did isn't necessarily the best way to do things. Time to chart my own path!