Three years ago when we moved from Denver back to my rural hometown in Nebraska, I had driven to town to go to the bank and on my way out, noticed that the clock read 5:00 p.m. I immediately thought, “Oh no, leaving town right during rush hour.”

Then I laughed out loud. Rush hour in a town of 3,500 people with two stoplights…the worst that could happen is I get stuck behind a slow-moving tractor.

That instantly triggered another memory from my childhood: Each time we’d be driving down the highway and find ourselves following a piece of farm machinery, whether it be a tractor or combine, us kids would complain and say, “Aw, dad, go around him! He’s going SOOOO slow!”

Can’t you just hear the whining from the back seat?

My dad’s usual response? “Don’t complain about farmers. They paid for these roads.”

I didn’t know how true that statement actually was until I heard my grandpa tell the story about mud roads and how farmers were responsible for maintaining them.

So the next time you get stuck behind a farmer on the highway, just relax and take the opportunity to just drive a bit slower for a while and take in the scenery. And give a thank-you wave as you go around him so he knows you appreciate the roads you’re driving on!

Until we walk again …