Over the course of the past year or more, my wife and I have worked alongside our children to get the yard landscaped. Those of you who have put in a yard, know that this can be a lot of work. It actually seems at times that you have to take a step backwards in order to move forward. For example one; of the first steps we took was to grade & level everything to where we wanted it to be; and then we painted lines on the ground to represent the mounds, the trees, the planter beds, and an in-ground trampoline. Things looked good and we could see the vision of how things were going to look and fit together. Then we had to trench through the earth in order to run the irrigation lines, we dug holes in the ground for the trees, we wheelbarrowed dirt to form the mounded island, and a small excavator was utilized to create a seeming crater where the trampoline would reside. With a crater in our backyard, trenches and pipes snaking throughout the yard, string-lines stretched along the edges, bunkers dotting the terrain, and piles mole hilling up frequently; our yard looked like a war zone!
After countless hours of sweat and dust, the trenches were filled, the trampoline filled the crater, shrubs and trees were planted, the irrigation system was up & running, a fence was installed, rock was strewn behind the edging, and grass was growing! It was a very rewarding experience to see everything done and in place, and the yard is now a place where we can relax and play as a family for years and years to come.
There were times when we wanted to quit; to simply throw our hands up and walk away. But we knew there was no reward in this and that it would only place us further from our goal. I find that landscaping your yard is a whole lot like life. It is a huge undertaking and a lot of hard work, there are even times where it seems we are taking steps backwards. But when the job is done, there are huge rewards beyond the summit of hard work.
We must show our children, and work alongside them so that they too can learn this principle. No one of us is entitled to a free ride; we must do the work and earn the reward. When everything is jumbled up and our life seems more like a barrage of piles and holes than a landscape; just keep working and don’t quit. By conquering one task at a time, and working together, a family can do amazing things together. Purchase your goals with sharp minds, tired backs, and calloused hands.