Seems like Spring has taken forever to get here, but it has arrived and that means lawn maintenance.
On any given Saturday morning, you can hear the buzz of a lawnmower outside. People are planting their gardens and busy landscaping their yards. It’s great to see all the kids playing out on the street and in the fields. After a long winter it’s certainly a welcomed change.
I’m busy trying to get my lawn in shape for the summer. The grubs took their toll on it last
Healthy Lawn Requires Certain Things
year and now I’ve got dead spots scattered all over. So I’m doing the top soil and grass seed thing. I’ve become “that guy” who has neon pink ribbons around his lawn to keep the kids off. Actually, I’m a harbinger of sorts it seems…three others on the street have followed suit.
The whole process got me thinking about the similarities of getting a healthy lawn and one’s personal health. It seems that most anything I look at reminds of health in some way, shape or form. Have you ever thought about health in terms of your lawn?
In order for you to grow a lush, healthy lawn, there are certain requirements that it needs – Water, sun, nutrients and freedom to grow. A thick lawn has resiliency and capacity to withstand a impromptu tackle football game. It looks great on the outside but closer inspection, you can see that it is thick and full of life.
Conversely, a weak lawn is sparse and vulnerable to things like bugs, weeds, crabgrass and clover. The soil is dry and hard packed. When you cut the grass, it looks like a sandstorm came through. An unhealthy lawn is an invitation for opportunistic things like weeds, grubs and other unwanted guests.
It’s the same as your body. In order to have and enjoy health, you need to provide the body with what it requires to express health – Exercise, nutrition, social connection, love, purpose, and no interference. If you don’t, opportunistic things like viruses and bacteria can wreak havoc on your system. Over time, the ‘lawn’ becomes weak and chronically sick leading to heart disease, cancer and more.
All about the process
The body is to be nurtured, fed and taken care of. If you are eating foods you wouldn’t feed your kids, then why are you eating them? If you know that something is damaging your body, you have to understand that their are consequences. If you are ok with the consequences, then have at it. But if you know that your body will be worse off for it, then why are you doing it?
It starts with a vision.
I have a vision of not crying on agony when I step onto the lawn in bare feet because of thistles. I have a vision of soft grass when I play with the kids in the yard. I have a vision of a property that offers serenity and sanctuary so that when I get home I can be surrounded by things that inspire and uplift.
Next, I have to actually do something. Life will give you “weeds” at times. No one is immortal. When they arrive you deal with them and move on. You can’t kid yourself that they don’t exist. You have to pull them out and provide some nourishment. Re-evaluate how you can make things better than before. That’s what being optimal is all about – CANI (Constant and Never Ending Improvement).
Take time to enjoy it – Far too often we get caught up in the nuances of life to pause and reflect and be grateful and proud of the effort we put in to get where we are. Take time to be grateFULL.
A healthy “lawn” requires effort, but it sure beats having to treat with chemicals once it’s lost hope.
Dr. C
Dr. Craig Hazel’s mission is to help families THRIVE. After graduating from Queen’s University with a Bachelor of Science and a Bachelor of Physical and Health Education, he went on to earn a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and a Bachelor of Science in Anatomy from Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas Texas. He is passionate about seeing children and families in his private practice at Synergy Chiropractic in Kanata Ontario. A sought after speaker, he has been featured regularly on TSN Team 1200, CTV and Rogers TV. He is also the Chairman of the Alliance for Chiropractic of Ontario.
