My Ugly Backyard

I speed walk and jog interchangeably in my backyard. And mind you, this yard is full of dirt. It’s a large lot, and most homes in the High Desert are full of dirt. So mine is no different. If I run around about 4 or 5 times, I think it equals one lap.

The backyard is a fixer-upper, and we’re in the progress of remodeling it. At any rate, on one particular day, I was running around noon. It’s “spring” at this moment in May, but it’s closer to summer at times in California, especially in the desert. As I’m working out, the sun began to weigh down on me.

By the way, I made sure to scoop up the dog’s poop before running. The more I looked down or at least focused on it, the more I noticed the ugly and uneven ground. It was also windy, which isn’t good for my allergies, but I needed to get that workout done. I passed the small dead tree over and over, at times glaring at it.

Other times, I wondered, “Why do we still have the huge dead branch lying around?” I then noticed that I missed two dog poops in different places in the backyard. I was so angry, “Ugh!” So I quickly picked them up and threw them away. The more I focused on all the ugly things, the more annoyed I was throughout.

Eventually, I looked up, and the clouds were puffy and white, moving slowly across the bright blue sky. The other two trees in the backyard, both slanted, except one is large and the other more of “medium-size,” gave me shade every time I passed them. I heard the cute birds chirping too and the wind making the trees dance a little more here and there.

I soon thought about how my workout in my ugly backyard resembled life. The poop scoop reminded me how at times, we encounter toxic people. They appear there with their extremely negative demeanor, and all we can do is “scoop” them out of our life or toss away their words in the trash because that’s all their negativity means, crap!

And why focus on the small dead tree when there are two amazing green alive and well, giving me oxygen and shade. This is what we do when we focus on all the wrong things and people in life. We need to find those who build us up, not tear us down–people who bring our energy up instead of fear, melancholy, and the worst things about us and life.

While I’m a person who constantly has to work on being positive and believe in staying informed and caring about this world, I believe in breaks too. We need to find those who can help us see that shinning bright sun and that beautiful blue sky with puffy clouds. This is oxygen to our mental and spiritual health.

My point, take a break and find those who build you up, not judge you for your circumstances or for who you are as whole.

By the way, I don’t own a giraffe. But that would be so cool!