A young man applied for a job as a farmhand. When the farmer asked for his qualifications, one of the things he mentioned was that he could “sleep when the wind blows.”
This puzzled the farmer… but he liked the young man. So he hired him.
A few weeks later, the farmer and his wife were awakened in the night by a violent storm ripping through the valley. They leapt out of bed and called for his new hired hand, but the young man was sleeping soundly.
So they quickly began to check things to see if all was secure. They found that the shutters of the farmhouse had been securely fastened. A good supply of logs had been set next to the fireplace.
The farmer and his wife then inspected their property. They found that the farm tools had been placed in the storage shed, safe from the elements. He sees that the bales of wheat had been bound and wrapped in tarpaulins.
The tractor had been moved into its garage. The barn was properly locked tight. Even the animals were calm and had plenty of feed. All was well.
The farmer then understood the meaning of the young man’s words, that he could “sleep when the wind blows.”
Because the farmhand did his work loyally and faithfully when the skies were clear, he was prepared for any storm. So when the storm did actually break, he was not concerned or afraid. He could sleep in peace.
Pic courtesy: Landscape art painting ‘The Coming Storm’ by Albert Bierstadt, Addison Gallery of Modern American Art