Universal Languages

Many say that math is the universal language, and while this may very well be true. In Western culture, there is also a universal way of introducing yourself properly and making a promise or agreement. While some do not hold this language to as high a standard as I. That doesn’t mean that it is null and void. This language I am talking about is the language of the handshake. Many speak and honour it but sadly enough there are many more that use it in an improper way. Growing up around my father I learned that a man’s word is worth something and should be held to that standard undoubtedly.

As I attended my first week of classes this semester, I found comfort in the fact that most of my peers use the handshake in a proper way. Firmly grasping my hand and keeping eye contact as they introduce themselves. Is this because I am in many business classes and that is one of the foundations to being a good business person? While the first answer that came to me was yes, I sought to think further into it. Do these people that have just introduced themselves to me know and respect the power of a handshake or are they simply shaking my hand because I reached out first? We certainly know that handshakes can be misleading or even untrue in their action. Everyday deals are made with a handshake that are believed to be a binding agreement but when the paper agreement comes around changes are attempted to be made. I find that I am lucky to be in an industry that a handshake is still respected…for the most part. Many times, through the dealings of cattle, I have shaken someone’s hand to signify that an agreement has been made on price or several other things. I have been on both ends of dealings and I treat both cases with the same respect.

Sitting here typing this post on a Thursday night (Ag Night) of all days got me thinking first why the hell I’m not at the bar, and second about the steak night that I just attended. It never even occurred to me that as I sat down at a table full of people I didn’t know, I immediately started introducing myself to everyone with a handshake. If you had come by five minutes later you wouldn’t have been able to tell that I’d never talked to them before that night. Eventually we got on to talking about what everyone’s major was and farming backgrounds. One particular fella at the table farms elk and you would not believe the number of interesting stories he had. As the night wound to a close for me (around 8 O’clock) we started one last conversation about documentaries. Not just any kind of documentaries but agricultural related ones. As we conversed about one particular documentary “What the Health” I found out one very interesting point they made in this documentary. They say that eating one egg is the equivalent of smoking five cigarettes. So now I have started a new morning routine, instead of frying up an egg I go outside and smoke five cigarettes. I think that should give you a solid clue of what my next blog post is going to be about.

Farm kid out.