The Proverbs of Mowing

Mowing the lawn is healthy for everyone, mentally and physically. There are many beneficial traits to learn from it. Mowing teaches patience and work ethic, and while it can be monotonous, it is something that needs to be done. I believe it teaches me to take care of what is mine, and if I don’t have enough time to, then I am too busy. I believe mowing builds character, something everyone should make time for.

Mowing is good for the mind. It does not require much concentration, allowing my mind to drift. It is therapeutic to be outside alone, thinking, where the only noise is the hum of the mower. It is a time to escape to peace and quiet. Another beneficial quality of mowing is it keeps my body healthy. Mowing is a regulated way to exercise, because it must be done weekly, and I am held accountable to that by my neighbors. This teaches me to work hard to care for what is mine. A person can take pride in a beautiful yard, but it must be worked for diligently. Contrarily, an un-kept lawn displays slothfulness. I believe my lawn represents who I am, so I work hard to make it look its best.

I also believe that mowing is not something you should pay to have done. I mowed many lawns this summer, and I found that people who do not mow their own lawns, often do not spend enough time at home. One specific lawn personified this. The owners had two children, but they rarely spent time together, and their yard was usually a mess. They waited until the yard was severely overgrown before asking for help, and every time I mowed I had to pick up gobs of wet, nasty trash. To me, this showed they were not taking good care of anything. Unfortunately, the parents are now divorced and the family separated. I believe a lawn shows who you are.

In addition to responsibility, I have learned patience. Spending hours every weekend mowing can be boring, but I must continue to keep my lawn looking good. I have learned to have patience during work, and that the time I put in is worth the result. This is also a way for me to gain work ethic. Mowing requires significant energy, and it is often done in the heat of summer, but I persevere because it is worth the end result.

While it may seem I am over exaggerating the importance of mowing, it makes a great analogy to other parts of life. If you can’t take care of the small things in life, how can you expect to care for more important things? Everyone must learn to be responsible for what is theirs, and mowing has taught me that. It also showed me what can happen when you do not learn to take care of these things, and that I do not want to go there. I am thankful for what I have learned from mowing; diligence, patience, and responsibility