Samsmom: Life, Joy, Loss and Loving your Mitochondria

“A truly great man never puts away the simplicity of a child.”
– Confucius

This evening as I watered my garden I watched my nieghbor, Russ teach his son how to mow the lawn. They spoke loudly over the roar of the engine. Russ’s voice was composed and instructional. His son Logan excited, almost giddy, finally getting to do something he’s watched his dad do week after week for years.

The lawn….a right of passage. A source of teenage income and a grown up chore. Mowers have engines, blades and use gasoline. This is a machine! You have to be old to handle this one; double digits at least, age ten and up.

“We’re going to switch it into gear….see that? Alright, now the blade is down and you just walk in a straight line. Is the blade down? I don’t think you’re cutting anything. Pull the lever. There you go, make it straight.” Logan finished a row by himself, stopped at the tree and turned around towards his dad. They both started laughing.

I walked into our house. “Russ is teaching Logan how to mow the lawn.” I told my husband.

“I know, I’ve been listening. It’s a big day.”

I kept the screen door open so I could hear them in the summer air. I was such a voyeur but I got such a kick out of their father-son moment. Logan, now big enough to mow the lawn.

It’s the little events that make a life.