What a surprise!
Annual General Meetings are commonly something that has to be gone through, rather than looked forward to. Usually a bit of a box ticking exercise and the usual reports.
This year’s BAHVS AGM was slightly different. First there were the reports. It was fascinating and inspiring to hear of the work different individuals and groups were doing. So much energy, enthusiasm and creativity going in to making homeopathy available. All this over and above all the regular work of being a vet. I reported about the Whole Health Agriculture organisation, our aims and what we were starting to achieve.
Then it came to the awards. Lovely to hear the acknowledgement of all the individuals who had given a little bit more of themselves. As I was listening, I heard of somebody who had been working with farmers for a number of years ('“that’s cool,” I thought, “will have to go and chat to them afterwards,”) helping set up and teach on the Homeopathy at Wellie Level course for farmers (“who could that be?” I wondered, “I must have met them at some point,”) and more recently working with Whole Health Agriculture (…..slowly, my brain started to work it out….). I went into a bit of blur as the words came out of their mouth….”the award goes to Chris Aukland!”
Somewhat in a daze, and with a grin on my face, I walked up to the front of the room and received the cup. It was awarded to me in recognition of my contribution to homeopathy in farming. With a deep sense of gratitude, blended still with a sense of surprise, I crafted a spontaneous acceptance speech.
I can’t recall the words exactly, but what I know in my heart is that, while I was being honoured for the work I had done, none of this would have been possible without others; other homeopathic vets and homeopaths teaching and supporting me, those who I have worked with on the HAWL course over a course of twenty years, and more recently the whole team within Whole Health Agriculture. Lastly, all the farmers I have worked with, who have listened to what I have taught them, trusted me to put it into action, then been kind and gracious enough to share their results, so that other farmers could be inspired and empowered.
So, what a lovely surprise. And here is to the work going on as we all pull together to support farming that is whole and healthy.