I suppose it was inevitable. As someone once said, “all things must change.” That’s probably a true statement, although I can’t prove it. I also know it’s been said that no one likes change. I’m certain that’s not true. How do I know? I know because I love change. I love to reshuffle the deck. I love to break the mold. I love to shake things up. I love to rearrange the playing field. You pick your metaphor. I genuinely love change. I love change with one caveat, that being, I have total control over that change. I get to decide what to change. I get to decide when to make the change. And I get to decide how to bring about the change.
With that understanding and qualification, I’ll share that I recently made a significant life changing decision. I hired someone to mow, edge and weed-eat my lawn. That may not sound like a life-changing experience to everyone, but it was for me. And, actually, I don’t have a lawn. I have a yard, an expanse of two and a half acres, including the pond. Before this house, I had a yard with almost one and a half acres, so I’m used to large lawns. I grew up in the country, and I want a little space between me and my neighbors. I have great neighbors, but I still want the space. But back to the subject of mowing. When my kids were younger, they mowed. When my wife was younger, oops, I meant to say when times were different, my wife did much of the mowing. But for the last twenty-five years or so, I have had total responsibility for keeping a well-manicured lawn.
Some might argue that that it’s not well-manicured. That’s debatable, but in any instance it’s important to me for it to look exactly right. I have gone through three edgers, multiple weed-eaters, and a few riding mowers. My last mower was a zero-turn monster that served me well, until it didn’t. Somewhere along the way, it began throwing off the drive belt, leaving me stranded on a mower that refused to move. When it’s ninety degrees outside, it’s no fun lying on the grass trying to reattach a belt on a mower that is hot enough to sear your skin!
A bit of disclosure is in order. I had recently backed my truck into my mower, gently bumping it sideways about a foot and a half. (Have you noticed how many times I have said something and a half? Would Freud say that meant anything?) At the time, I didn’t think anything about the minor collision. But later when I found out the bracket that holds the belt in place had broken, I considered the possible reasons. I’ll let you draw your own conclusions.
But I digress. Let’s get back to my original intent, which is to tell you about this major change in my life. At my wife’s urging, and with the encouragement of more than a few friends, I decided to investigate the possibility of hiring someone else to do the lawn care for me. After all, it takes a full day of my weekend, usually in hot weather, and often when I can’t spare a full day. Still, I love to mow. I don’t love the weed eater, but I accept it as a part of the process. But I’m almost seventy-two years old, and I have noticed a slight drop in my energy level, especially when the heat index hits the triple digits in humid Alabama.
I evaluated my budget, and how I could use that extra time to generate more work in my office to cover the cost, and I arrived at a number I was willing to pay. I knew a couple of young entrepreneurs who might be interested, so I texted one of them and put out the fleece. They showed up the next day, looked over the yard and gave me a price. You guessed, it. The price was just what I had decided I could afford. I reluctantly took it as a sign that I should move forward.
“Let’s do this,” I told them. And with that simple verbal agreement, I no longer mow my lawn. These fellows are doing an excellent job. My lawn may actually look better than when I was doing it. They are eager to please, as they attempt to grow their business. If it grows as fast as my Bermuda grass, they’ll do fine. And so, will I. At least I think I will, as this new phase of my life begins.
How will I use that extra day since I won’t be sitting on a mower or fighting a weed eater? I have a few ideas. I now have a little more freedom on the weekends for road trips, or other travel. (As I write this, I’m visiting my son and his family in Charlotte), I also hope to use it wisely by working on my new hobby, which is grilling, a hobby I have taken up late in life. I am also considering re-engaging the game of golf, since I need at least one interest in my life to frustrate me. If it’s not broken mower belts, it might as well be golf. And finally, I want to continue to pursue my writing and to expand my blogging and writing into other media such as podcasts, YouTube, or other social platforms.
But this was not an easy decision. This was not an easy change. While I had some control over it, I did not have total control. Other factors played a key role. Do I think it was the right decision? Yes. Are the people who care most for me pleased with my decision? Yes. Is my mower repaired and waiting in the wings if this decision does not go as planned? That’s also a yes.
Let’s stop here. That’s enough for today. I’ll share part 2 in a few days, and discuss how this change, along with a couple of others, is part of a life strategy to be more intentional. It’s a strategy to make the best use of my time both for myself and for others. I’ll discuss why change isn’t easy, but why it is sometimes wise and at other times necessary. I hope you’ll check back in.
Until then, I’m going to lie in my hammock and watch my grass grow. Because even though I no longer mow it, it’s still my grass.