Water Your Grass

I was chatting with my neighbor the other day and the topic of our lawns came up. How it’s been so hard to keep up with them in the summer because of the blazing, hot sun and minimal rainfall; plus the dogs. They have them too! They get it. Without any hesitation and so matter of fact, my neighbor said, “I only take good care of the front because that’s what people see”. I kind of chuckled and let out a little, “yeah”. Once I retreated back inside, I had time to think about what my neighbor had just told me. He only focuses on the front, the part people can see. Hmm—I mean curb appeal is a thing for sure.

Much like everyone else, I like to make sure my front yard looks great and I put a lot of effort into doing so. But I never thought about how the lawn most people don’t see, gets neglected. The backyard. The area for which we actually spend most of our time and invite others, our friends and family over to enjoy with us. Is it because we don’t think our friends and family will judge us? Is it because we want to put up a façade, for a whole bunch of people we don’t know?  Why do we not focus on the area that’s actually important and meaningful? It doesn’t make sense. Allow me to elaborate, however. 

The more I thought about this, it irked me. I have the same mindset as my neighbor but not nearly to the same extreme. I like to tell myself that my reasons are different than those of my neighbor and that it’s a lost cause to try and have a nice, lush green lawn with multiple dogs trampling it non-stop. But is that really it? I never considered my subconscious thoughts about lawn care. To be honest, I’m not convinced that I do it out of vanity or to portray something that I am not.

I actually spend a lot of time taking care of the backyard—aerating, fertilizing, and over seeding twice a year. I also treat it with a cedarwood concoction to eliminate any fleas, ticks or other nagging insects that may hitch a ride inside on one of us. I pull out every weed I can find. Yes, in the backyard! I make sure it gets ample amounts of water to stay as green as possible. I don’t put nearly as much effort into the front. It does look nice, though—most of the time. It’s because crazy dogs aren't running on it all day, every day. Something to think about.

Maybe subconsciously I am truly taking care of what’s more important to me. The backyard—the place we spend the most time and love to enjoy with those closest to us. The front on the other hand, is actually the one neglected. It just looks nice. There are some flowers. But I don’t do anything extra to make it more comfortable for anyone. It’s just there. It’s just something for passing strangers to look at. I think we need to take care of all of it. Take pride in everything you do. Don’t worry about what others think. Do it for you!

I encourage you to take a look at your own lawn and life. Are you just concerned with your curb appeal or are you taking care of everything?