My First Existential Crisis

Dearest Friend,

I’m afraid I write with news of a most serious nature. You may recall in my previous missive that I reported rumors of our neighbor Spud’s return, but had not yet seen him? Well. I have now seen him. So to speak.

They do say that one does not return from a journey the same person as one was when he embarked, but I do not think this is what was meant.

I am sorry to have to report that Spud is no longer among us. At least, not as we have previously known him. This news caused me no little distress and so I decided to speak with Mr. Knightly about it. He is, after all, six months my senior and has seen more of the world than I. I was especially curious why Farmer Jay, who treats us all with such courtesy, would appear to be so joyful at the sight pictured above.

Mr. Knightley, as you may know, is quite a well-read fellow, and he is very intelligent. I often have difficulties understanding his complex thoughts. He answered me by first muttering aloud, “I wonder what Mr. Kierkegaard would have to say about Spud’s options for self-creation?” and “He’d have been better served striving to be a Stoic. He didn’t have Ubermench in him.” Finally, Mr. Knightley turned to me and said, “Young Darcy, what you must understand is that Spud fulfilled his purpose.”

“Fulfilled his purpose?” Well, that just begs the question, does it not? What’s MY purpose?

I must confess, dear Reader, to burying my head in the hay bucket for a time. My only defense of my temporary crisis is that, as Farmer Jay and Ma Berry say, I’m just a baby. However, I was promptly reminded by these fine personages of one of my purposes here at the farm.

The grass is high and there are great quantities of it. Posey the cow is expecting a calf in the near future, and so one of the pastures especially needs to be cut down. We are just the sheep to handle this chore. We’ve had some practice mowing the front yard already.

Farmer Jay and Ma Berry tethered us in the area we were to mow and let us do our work. They can tell where we’ve been by the absence of the white clover flowers. They’re my favorite.

Of course, we also tend the wee park in front of Pemberley.

Tending to the wee park in front of Pemberley

We do get startled from time to time, but considering what I’ve learned about the world in the last several days, I think that’s perfectly rational, don’t you?

Kiersten J has reminded me that my primary purpose is to help her with her work, which includes the Beast to Blanket class she is preparing to teach again to children this Spring and to offer soon on her website for all ages. She just published a tiny portion of it, which is now available free to anyone, about dyeing wool with Kool Aid. She says she will be dyeing some of my own wool for this! This caused me great consternation until she assured me she would wait until I wasn’t using it anymore. I have no desire to change colors at this time.

After such an intellectually and emotionally exhausting episode, the wee flock decided on an evening’s entertainment and invite you to join us as we observe the existential trials of other famed personages.

Most sincerely yours,

Mr. Darcy the Sheep

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