Stop mowing over your bad habits -- and other lawn-care tips
April 30, 2013
We had an odd winter here Virginia's quiet Shenandoah Valley. We were still
shoveling snow in late March, and in a single week, we missed three school days
for different reasons. One day was the victim of snow, one for freezing rain and
the third was cancelled for severe flooding of the Shenandoah River. In between
the snow and ice, we had paradisiacal days in the 60s that could have been
ripped from a glossy travel magazine.
No one has been more confused by spring's awkward shuffle than Mr. Grumpy
Grass in my front yard. One freezing morning I heard him shout, "Wake me when
you're serious," and then drift back to sleep.
Thankfully, three weeks ago, spring finally announced she was ready to stay
and the yard awoke in a hurry. I pulled out my mower and after a tune-up by a
friend who could fix a Carnival cruise ship engine with his eyes closed, I began
tackling the grass in my front and side yards.
I made one pass after another, firing off menacing looks at the clusters of
weeds as I mowed them down and blended them into the surrounding healthy green
blades. I was slicing and dicing dandelions and crab grass with as much energy
and excitement as Vince from the Slap Chop commercials.
When I was done, I admired my work and noticed that one particular section in
the backyard looked so good, it could have gone to prom with the first fairway
at Augusta National.
Just a few days later, the love was gone. Weeds as high as six inches were
already poisoning the lawn again. And this time I noticed even thicker, more
toxic varieties popping up and taking advantage of the recent rain.
Sure, I could have invested the time to do the hard work of removing the
weeds. I could have carefully spread weed killer and gotten on my knees to pull
the more stubborn weeds at their root. But why? Ain't nobody got time for that.
Instead, I fired up the mower and for a second time, cut down the weeds until
they were barely distinguishable from the lush green grass around them. It felt
good to have temporarily solved the problem, even though I knew it was a quick
fix. For a day or two, the lawn looked just fine.
Then, before I knew it, I was standing on my porch looking at all the same
weeds back in all the same spots. Some had returned thicker, others looked to
have brought along a few squatter friends.
I stood for some time surveying the lawn, section by section. But the longer
I looked, the more I didn't see grass at all - I saw my life.
How often have I chopped away the weeds of my life - bad habits - only to see
them reappear again? I certainly recognize the things in my life that
occasionally need improvement. But do I really make time to remove the weeds
that stifle the rest of my personal growth? Or do I take a quick pass at the
surface, trim away what's visible to the world and pretend the same weeds won't
soon return?
How much easier would life be if we identified the weeds and made time to
attack them at the root? What if we asked experts that are trained to know the
best methods for success? What if we spent time on our knees doing the hard work
to remove the toxic weeds that, if left untreated, can eventually overtake and
smother a healthy yard?
I suspect a completely weed-free yard is something I'll never experience in
this life. But maybe with a fresh perspective, I might be willing to try a
little bit harder.
How about you?
Read more of Jason's work
here: