Saturday morning while Dave was off practicing with the Greene County Singers, I decided to help him with his yard duties and rake the leaves in the back yard. Shortened daylight hours and busy weekends have put him a little behind the curve in lawn care. I, on the other hand, had a few hours to spare and welcomed a change from my household chores and longed to get out into the fresh air. Raking seemed like a good idea – until I started raking.
The work didn’t seem as easy as it did when I was a kid. The rake seemed heavier at first and my arms felt weaker. I began to let negative thoughts enter my head. Maybe I wouldn’t be able to complete the task. Maybe all my hours in the gym hadn’t gotten me to the point where I could do it. Maybe I was to old. I was beginning to become discouraged.
Then I remembered some important lessons I’ve learned at the gym. First I cleared all the negative thoughts from my mind: allowing myself to mentally break the task into bits. Then I began to focus on my technique; finding the most comfortable and effective way to gather the leaves. Sometimes I used quick short sweeps, sometimes longer and slower. Before I knew it, half the yard was green again!
As I surveyed what I had accomplished, I saw Izzie rolling in a sunny spot in the grass, beckoning me to join her. I thought, why not? Lorenzo gives me rest periods throughout me workouts. So, I laid down the rake and plopped myself on the cool lawn beside Izzie to rub her belly and scratch her chin. It was a perfect moment; quiet and peaceful, the distractions of the holidays were gone. Refreshed, I picked up my rake and tackled the next chunk of lawn.
My mind began to wonder freely as I worked. I thought about Maggie and Jan’s engagement and how happy I am for them. I thought about Andy and offered a little prayer that he be offered the post doc position he just interviewed for. I thought about so many things. Then I realized what a gift it was to be able to let my mind go like that. No phones. No TV. No other voices. Just me in my yard, methodically working and thinking.
Eventually, I realized I had finished. The leaves were now gathered in a handful of large piles throughout the yard, ready to be hauled into the woods. There was now a clear distinction between the lawn and the wooded section of the yard. I had a glimpse of how God felt after he created the world and it was good. Instead of feeling drained and ready to plop in a chair, I felt energized. So, I picked up my rake and began to rake the front yard!
It occurred to me that my time with rake in hand was a reminder of how all jobs in life should be approached; with a positive attitude, good technique, determination as well as respites. A job well done should be one that gives you the energy to carry on. If it doesn’t, and your attitude, technique and dedication are all in rightness, then it is the job that is not right.
Rake on!