Why are we always in such a hurry? This past weekend, I was determined to clean out the raspberry patch. That meant clipping and clearing 60 feet of fall bearing plants and going through 60 feet of black raspberries and removing old canes. I had made good progress on the “fall bearing,” which I was cutting off at ground level with a blade attachment on the end of my Stihl weed trimmer.
Everything was going well until the engine stopped. I started it … and it stopped again … and again. The symptoms pointed to the fuel-line plug, so I grabbed a pair of needle-nose pliers and pulled the fuel line, flushed out the tank and refilled it after replacing the fuel line.
Unfortunately, the engine started … and ran, and a few minutes later I was back at work. I say unfortunately because it was a beautiful, late-fall day. One of those gems with a light breeze and a 55- to 60-degree-F temperature. I should have stopped and looked. I should have stopped and listened to the geese flying overhead. I should have, but I didn’t. Did it really matter if all those canes came down so quickly? Would it have mattered if they had stood another hour while I enjoyed the good things that living in the country offer?
I hope you stop, look and listen. Life is too short, and the beautiful days of autumn are too precious to spend them rushing from one job to another. The next time my mower, weed trimmer or ATV stops for some reason, I’m going to take a minute or two, perhaps even an hour or more and just enjoy. The work will wait.
