Mow your own damn lawn. Please…

Permit me a momentary rant, which may anger some folks…

If you’re healthy, and not an invalid…don’t have a Doctor’s note or in other ways not able to walk briskly for a half hour at a time…then you should mow your own lawn.Senior_w_mower

You’ve heard of the “broken windows” theory?  Which states essentially that a run-down house is a signal of continual decay of the neighborhood fabric?

I think they same thing is the case when you DON’T mow your own lawn.  Getting out there with the mower/trimmer/leaf blower lets your neighbors see you, and you see them.  Conversations ensue while you’re mopping your brow or (here in Oklahoma) applying more bug spray.  You get to see the kids and how big they’ve gotten.  Or grouse about the heat — together.

You get to observe all the trucks driving slow on your street, and wonder why.  All of a sudden, you’re part of the Neighborhood Watch.  Just not in a creepy George Zimmerman sort of way.

You probably have an idea how you want your trees trimmed and shaped — get out there and give it a try.

I’ve always mowed my own lawn — the only times I didn’t was when I wanted to encourage good “free enterprise behavior” in a couple of the neighborhood boys.  Giving them $$ to do a job helps demonstrate to them that they too are a part of our little society.  Never mind that they all give up their yard work jobs once they get cars — at the very point that they need more money for gas.  But they still remain members of our little neighborhood society.  We chat when they come back to visit their parents and I’m walking the dog.

Think back to when you were growing up:  did you or your parents mow your lawn?  Why don’t you now?

I know there are firemen who are part-time lawn care guys, not to mention the crews whose original birthplaces were south of the border.  Great — I respect that they’re earning money.  But they’re not OF THE PLACE, and they don’t learn the rhythm of your neighborhood, and know who to smile or wave at.

Bonus: you get a bit of exercise, and the money you save can do some good in the community.

Here endeth the rant.  You’ll excuse me while I go re-string my trimmer…

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