Lessons from a Lawn Mower

Ever since we bought a riding lawn mower, I have been telling Rob that I can help him cut the grasss. Especially when Andrew is at MMO, I should have time to help him with the yardwork. Rob was skeptical at first. He kept asking me, "Do you know how to cut grass?". I mean, really, did he not remember that I grew up in South Georgia where lawn services do not exist because parents use their children to cut grass, weed, rake, pick up pinecones and sticks, etc.? I grew up cutting grass. In fact, I even remember daddy teaching me how to drive a riding lawn mower and feeling cool and proud that I could now drive something!

Of course, the "coolness" of cutting grass quickly faded as I entered High School. Even though all the girls got their spring and fall tans from cutting grass, it just didn't seem all that great anymore to spend your Saturday mornings cutting grass. And, this task took ALL Saturday morning to accomplish.

I despised cutting the grass so much that I even asked my allergy doctor if cutting grass was dangerous for me due to my severe allergies from grass. ( I am allergic to ALL types of grass and trees....except 3 trees which are native to the state of Washington). I explained that after each time I cut the grass, I would have a runny nose and itchy throat and eyes for three days. By the time my allergic reaction had subsided, it was time to cut the grass again! He advised me to stay away from cutting grass.

Well, for those of you who knew my dad, you can imagine how well this went over with him (He was the man who was so allergic to corn, he swelled up and had difficulty breathing when he went into the corn field, yet he kept on growing it....every year!). When I explained to my parents what the doctor advised, he laughed and told me to wear a surgical mask. I am not kidding. Now, you know, at 16 the only thing more uncool than cutting grass on your Saturday morning was cutting your grass while donning a surgical mask!! So, being the fashion-conscious 16 year old that I was, I suffered through my grass cutting teenage years vowing that I would never cut the grass after I graduated High School.

Well, I stood by that promise. Until today. I admit, I was nervous, getting on that lawn mower for the first time in ten years. Rob gave me a quick lesson this weekend, but I refused to give the lawn mower a test run because I wasn't quite serious about cutting the grass. But, as this week passed, I became determined to cut. the. grass. Before Rob left for work this morning, I made him go over it with me again. Taking the mower out of emergency brake. How to power the mower. How to put the mower in reverse. How to start the blade. I didn't rember it being so complicated when I was 16; I just put the key in the ignition and off I went.

Of course, when I was 16, I felt like it took all morning to cut the grass. When, in fact, it only took me about 30 minutes this morning. But, when you are 16, everything appears to take longer. Minutes feel like hours. Hours feel like years. And, years feel like an eternity.

Today, it was nice being on that lawn mower again, despite my now runny nose, itchy eyes, and tingling legs. Feeling proud of myself for still being able to drive a lawn mower; being thankful that my parents taught me the value of doing work yourself; realizing that these past ten years really have flown by.......