Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Raking Leaves: Good for Your Lungs, Your Heart, and Your Soul


I remember raking leaves as a kid with my friends in the neighborhood.  Our main purpose was not to clear the lawn but rather to make the largest pile for which we could jump into.  With that exception, I cannot remember a time that I did not despise the leaf-raking job.  I admit that I have successfully avoided it now for many years.  This fall I was motivated for unknown reasons to reexamine this chore I have so detested.  Looking at the task through a new, optimistic lens and with a newfound energy, I found there were many positive reasons to actually like the job which took me nearly the entire month of November to complete.

1)    Simply and obviously, the chilled air was good for my lungs. When I took the moments to breathe it in, I felt the air go through my body.  (Peppermint pattie style). Ok, Ok—so this November seemed extraordinarily warm and quite frankly the chilled air was more of a cool air.  And so I wore a T-shirt and jeans most often instead of being all bundled up in sweaters, hats and gloves- but either way you get my point. Fresh air feels good.

2)    Another obvious reason-Raking leaves, when I am doing it properly, gets my heart pumping and even left me at times trying to catch my breath.  No need to head to the gym or practice my yoga routine.  Here was my workout.

3)    My 6-year-old son decided to join me for a few of my leaf raking sessions.  While he interrupted my efforts (for which I was gracious since I was out of breath), we noticed together some rather beautiful leaves and one he particularly liked that somehow matched perfectly an NFL team’s orange and brown helmet. He managed to rake a small but neat pile for which he seemed quite proud.

4)    Most times I worked by myself- the work was tedious in some ways, but I was free mentally- a pleasant way to let my mind drift, reflect, laugh, and cry.  I found that I appreciated this time; it felt like a mental vacation.  It was quiet and peaceful and so enjoyable.  I even thought about the rake itself- so simple in design and yet such an effective tool.  At one point, my neighbor offered his leaf blower, a much more effective leaf removal tool.  Silly man, how could I get in my meditative, "raking trance" with that obnoxious sound?


5)    Of course, the best part of raking the leaves was the sense of great accomplishment I felt when I finished.  Before, there were these little messes of decaying organic matter scattered around my life, I mean lawn.  And now I have moved them all to this great pile for which the kids and I can jump.  Next I move them to the street to be sucked up by the Great Leaf Sucker Upper and out of my life, I mean lawn forever.  It’s cathartic. And symbolic. Even though I realize they will be back again next year or even tomorrow and the process can start all over again.  The messes made around us leave and come back in one form or another and so it goes.  This is life and today it feels good.

My husband and I worked together to finish the last batch during halftime on Sunday.  He was impressed by my "raking style" and even more so by my overall effectiveness in completing the job.  That felt good too.
Bye-Bye leaves. 

Final note—These reasons shall never apply to snow shoveling- a task I abhor above all others even though the air I would breathe could be considered chilled for certain!