I am in the rather unique position (especially for a preacher) of living in the same house in which I grew up. Mom and Dad moved back to Arkansas after living 45 years in Virginia (they decided they didn’t like it) to help care for my grandmother in her declining years. They made us an offer we couldn't refuse, and we were able to buy the old homestead. If I would have known when I was a kid that I would one day own the place, I would have taken much better care of it!
Something dawned on me yesterday as I was mowing that same old lawn for what seemed like the two jillioneth time. When I was a kid, I hated cutting the grass more than just about anything. It wasn't like it was such extremely hard work. When my Dad was a kid, he had to chop cotton all day long. I know, because when I complained about cutting the grass, he would tell me about chopping cotton all day long. Mowing the lawn only took about an hour and a half, but that was time I couldn’t spend on more important things-- like playing basketball or tennis! Dad even at one point bought a riding lawn-mower. I still have the dent in the side of MY HOUSE where my sister crashed into the house on the mower, but that's another story. I don't know why I despised cutting the grass so much, but I did.
So there I was yesterday mowing the same lawn that I have mowed since I was 12, and it hit me, “I really kinda enjoy cutting the grass now.” It's not just that I don't mind it so much anymore; I really do enjoy it. It's relaxing. And it’s not like I have to waste time anymore playing basketball or tennis! What I once saw as a dreaded chore when I was a kid now is a source of relaxation. In other words, at some point between 1969 and 2008, I got older… and wiser.
Something dawned on me yesterday as I was mowing that same old lawn for what seemed like the two jillioneth time. When I was a kid, I hated cutting the grass more than just about anything. It wasn't like it was such extremely hard work. When my Dad was a kid, he had to chop cotton all day long. I know, because when I complained about cutting the grass, he would tell me about chopping cotton all day long. Mowing the lawn only took about an hour and a half, but that was time I couldn’t spend on more important things-- like playing basketball or tennis! Dad even at one point bought a riding lawn-mower. I still have the dent in the side of MY HOUSE where my sister crashed into the house on the mower, but that's another story. I don't know why I despised cutting the grass so much, but I did.
So there I was yesterday mowing the same lawn that I have mowed since I was 12, and it hit me, “I really kinda enjoy cutting the grass now.” It's not just that I don't mind it so much anymore; I really do enjoy it. It's relaxing. And it’s not like I have to waste time anymore playing basketball or tennis! What I once saw as a dreaded chore when I was a kid now is a source of relaxation. In other words, at some point between 1969 and 2008, I got older… and wiser.
7 comments:
I was always taught that serving was more important than most anything else...That is why I played tennis. :)
I've seen you play; you should cut more grass.
Gardening is something that I believe is very relaxing and fulfilling, it is work with a purpose, a race to get everything planted etc. and when we get so much harvest that my wife and her friends can freeze and can it, it is worth all the work to have such an overflowing bounty that can be sared. When we have enough we give it away to who ever rather than let it rot in the garden. Dried grass makes good compost especially when mixed with last years chopped leaves. I tried tennis, I didn’t like it. I would rather look for praying mantis egg pods in late summer and fall and lady bugs in the spring time, putting them in the garden at sunset so they will stick around and eat the pests. King snakes and lizards are really cool but my wife doesn’t want me or ours around the snakes.
Since you enjoy mowing the lawn, I know of one or two yards that could use your attention.
It's different when it's your own. Or, you could do what my dad does--He has a RoboMower (a robotic lawnmower) that cuts his grass. He sits on the back patio drinking his tea watching RoboMower (nicknamed "Eric" after my brother, who at one time like you, abhored cutting the grass).
Ahh, retirement.
I resemble that remark about my tennis playing! I challenge you to a Wii tennis match. The loser gets to mow my lawn! Ha!!!
As I recall, the last time we played you gave me a Wii little match! Oui?
Post a Comment