A Calling to Agvocate

6,000,000,000+ people in the world = 6,000,000,000+ reasons for living.

Callings come in every variety. It seems that some people are born knowing that they'll be an Olympic athlete. Others figure out that science miraculously makes sense to them and one day decide to search for a major medical cure. And still, once in a while, someone just hands an unsuspecting stranger a guitar and from the first melodic strum, they're hooked.

I am currently hanging out with ~100 people who via whatever path have accepted the calling to advocate for American Agriculture through use of Social Media. (Check out http://agchat.org/) Some are dedicated Twitter-fanatics who essentially express every thought and feeling in 140 characters or less. Others manage multiple Facebook pages, allowing a multitude equivalent to a fair-sized country access to valuable and much-needed insights regarding true, fair and safe practices of the Agricultural Industry. Still, more creatively invite dedicated readers (and more importantly, an uninformed public) into their everyday lives as they blog about the ins, outs, ups, downs and cartwheels of life for the "farmers and ranchers" the entire world loves, and the "farming and ranching" the entire world challenges.

Barely 24 hours into this venture, and one thing is vividly clear - I'm out of my league. I've "Facebooked" avidly for a long, long time. I enjoy the occasional "Tweet". There are even the rare, but colorful blog posts about whatever random bit of life I choose to exploit. But I wholeheartedly and admittedly fail in comparison to these dedicated individuals who spend constant and consistent time explaining, enhancing and encouraging those who spend their lives feeding, clothing and energizing the world.

At 22, a recent college graduate and even more-recent "out-on-my-own" transplant, I'm probably supposed to have figured out my "calling" by now. Somedays, I'm certain I have. And yet, a friend and I recently determined that we are ultimately called to live in the moment, to rise to the occasion of each day and be who and what we are when we need to be them. Life changes; we adapt, and so, I believe, do our callings.

Today, and for a time, it is my calling to best serve those who tend the land, care for the creatures and provide for the multitudes. I am proud to have a non-traditional Ag background, yet a very traditional love for those within the industry that is truly the backbone of our existence. My belief that "agriculture can and will hold true to the best traditions of our national life" (see - The FFA Creed) developed because someone took time to explain, enhance and encourage the need for agriculture in my life. Because of this, I know that I have a calling to Agvocate.