Mowing the Grass in the Dark
My boyfriend Steve and I pulled into his driveway at 10:30 pm one night and I asked him “What is that sound?!?” He answered, “My neighbor is mowing his grass!” It was pitch black outside and you could just barely make out the figure of a man next door who was, indeed, mowing his grass in the dark.
Mind you, these neighbors have a history of questionable behavior and poor choices, but this seemed a huge head scratcher. How could you possibly know where you had cut? Their lawn if often littered with garbage, so how could you see if you were going to run over some debris? How was this possibly safe?
It’s cooler at night, but why not mow at dusk or early morning? There was no flashlight or lantern, just a blind jab at the blades. Wildly dangerous and baffling.
We can’t all get our fellow citizens to act rationally or safely, but we can make sure we are making smart choices in our own lives. Stopping to think before acting is a simple but effective way to stay on track and avoid embarrassment. Stopping for a deep breath before hitting “send” on an angry email, stopping to consider your options before eating that entire box of cookies, or checking in with a friend or loved one before making a move that your gut is not sure about. All of these are ways to live more evenly and safely.
And please don’t mow your grass in the dark!
Tim Hinton
September 5, 2022
