Gatekeepers

While tending my friends’ birds, the rooster fluttered into my face, trying to scare me away. It almost worked since I’ve never tended chickens but truly felt threatened by a bird much smaller than me. As a perceived threat he was showing a very clear stance on what he thought of me. (Truth be told: I didn’t really care for him either.) After checking the feed and water, I left but didn’t look forward to returning to open the coop before dusk, which could be why I was late to return before they started to pile together on the wood.

Sometimes family can come off that way.

• “It’s done” 
• “I don’t want you to mess it up” 
• “I already have that story, document, etc.”

What they really might mean is, it took me a long time to help gather and present all this to our family. I hope you will take your time and learn. I don’t see anything else to add, but I could be wrong.

With records being added all the time, if they or you last looked at that part of the tree even one year ago or definitely 10 or more years ago, likely a lot more may be available that wasn’t available then.

Look again, even from the outside of the fence, sizing up all the information, details, questions you see before you change anything. Start to make a plan of how to enter, where to look to further add to the coop. That way when you get a surprising email or complaint, you can back up your research and reasoning and help others to continue to do the same.