Push Mower Thoughtfulness

Because of the ongoing coronavirus surge I have been hunkering down, not going anywhere. Fortunately, I can order groceries online and pick them up the next day, a friendly worker loading them into the back of my Subaru. And I’m foregoing driving to my exercise classes, instead trying my skills at their online offerings. Not as rewarding, but it won’t be forever. Just a few weeks more I hope.

I managed to see my son on his birthday midmonth, sitting far apart outside in his backyard. We are all vaccinated and boosted, but his youngest son attends high school and so is more exposed to the possibility of infection. Not wanting to take any chances of unintentionally giving Grams (me) COVID, we happily celebrated in sun dappled shade, love and laughter in no short supply.

Last week my granddaughter and her boyfriend flew up for a visit from Long Beach. The better part of wisdom dictated that my contact with them would be limited. They stayed with my daughter ½ mile from me, a happy choice for everyone, especially my two younger grandsons. I missed going with the family on a trip to Armstrong Woods, a beautiful redwood grove an hour away. It was my choice; I was invited but it made no sense for me to go since I’d have to stay 8 feet apart from everyone in our group as well as anyone else who might pass nearby.

The one solace I had was knowing my granddaughter would walk over to spend time with me in my backyard. In unkempt, winter condition, I just needed to get a space ready for her visit. I called my gardener and asked him if he had time the Monday before her arrival to do some work. He said he’d try, but it didn’t happen. I called him the following Friday to see if he could possibly just cut the grass where we would be sitting. He was working at the duplex next door but told me he had not brought his lawnmower. Wanting to help he offered to at least use his weedwhacker along the edges. Then I remembered the push mower in my garage and asked if he’d be willing to use that. He said yes.

When he came to get the push mower, which my grandsons sometimes use for me during the summer, he told me he’d never used one before and asked which way the handle went. I heard him mowing a few minutes later and hurried outside to take his picture. A kindly trouper he went out of his way, pushing a mower that needed oiling through tall grass, using his breaktime to make sure my visit with my granddaughter would be pleasant.

Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day. ~Sally Koch