Mowing the Yard

     It has been about 14 years since my daddy left the earth.  I know that my daddy loves me and feel that he is watching over me at times.  The other day was one of those times that I felt extremely close to him.  It happened while I was mowing the yard, which I used to love to do. 
     Daddy is the one who taught me to mow a yard a long time ago.  That was one of the things we did together.  Daddy let me come and help him when he was cleaning up abandoned properties for his friend, a realtor. Since most of these homes had yards that were very overgrown, I learned how to mow a yard with tall grass, most of the time wet at the bottom, and not choke the mower.  It was not always the most fun thing to do, but spending time with Daddy was always great.
     Our yard had gotten to the point of the dogs, three of them little, being lost in the tall grass.  It was getting hard to keep an eye on them in the back yard and there was rain in the forecast again.  I had no choice but to go and mow the yard, plus the under grass was never going to dry out.  My back and legs were hurting before I even finished the front yard and the back yard is twice the size of the front.  I was starting to take several breaks and not getting much done between them.  While sitting on the back porch, crying from pain and frustration, I had no idea how I was going to get the yard done.  I had thought about quitting several times and just leaving the rest for another day.  I am not a quitter and don't usually back down from any challenge that I come across.  Finally I sat there with tears falling down my face and thought, "Daddy please help me.  I can't do this yard without your help."  I guess he heard me because I was able to get up and do a little more this time.  I started getting stubborn and trying to more between each break, so daddy choked the mower to make me stop.  It was not the usual feeling I get when I finish the yard; however, it was the best feeling I have had at the end of an overgrown yard.
     I love my daddy as much today as I ever have.  I would never want to be without the lessons he taught me while alive and the blessings that I see in every day things since he has been gone.