I can’t imagine what it feels like to think you are getting married and then find out at the rehearsal that the wedding is called off. Who do you go to – to ask for help to process that hurt, disappointment and embarrassment?

One of the side effects of being home-bound during the “Great Pause” is that I’ve become very fond of the predictable story arc of Hallmark movies. We have a bit of a game to see if the first kiss is within the last 15 minutes of the show.

“Succession planning would be considerably less difficult if the long-term stability of the agricultural industry was more predictable. Given the current hurdles, long-term profitability is very uncertain. I do not wish to transfer an operation which has a low chance to succeed,” wrote a farm survey respondent recently.

“Elaine, I am feeling paralyzed and overwhelmed with this farm transfer thing.” “How do I talk to the kids without emotions running wild?” “We do fine until we try to get a sit-down family meeting with an agenda, then no one is really honest with what is going on here.”

A weary-looking farmwoman waits patiently in line, making sure she is the last one to speak to me privately after my keynote address one day.