Competitive Mowing

Saturday, April 18, 2009

I woke up later than usual today. It was a bright, sunny morning and a perfect Spring day. After accomplishing nothing all morning, I spent the afternoon mowing Coty's grandmother's yard. Once I started mowing, I noticed more and more people begin mowing their yards. It was as though I started a chain reaction around the neighborhood. By the time I left, nearly everyone had mowed or started to mow. This made me wonder how many people mow just because their neighbor mowed. No one wants to be the person in the neighborhood with the long grass.

While I enjoy mowing, most people probably find it a chore. I feel that mowing gives you time to think and my mind tends to wander the entire time. Today I thought, What if everyone made an agreement not to mow their yards for one month? Sure everyone's grass would be longer; but I don't think it would matter because all the yards would look the same. There would be no mowed yards to compete with. This principle can apply to almost anything. When you stop trying to keep up with others, they can stop trying to keep up with you. In the end, everyone is better off.