Sometimes a Great Lawn is Just … Luck!

I love my lawn. I love planning it, mowing it, pulling weeds, fertilizing it, reseeding, edging, and walking around barefoot on it. My lawn is something my Dad and I can always talk about. It was his hobby, too. I push my mower and I don’t use the self-propel feature. The blades are sharp. Instead, I push that 50-pound machine for a good workout (yes …it’s on wheels and it’s not like I’m pushing a sled at football practice). My mower is Honda. The blades are sharp because I sharpen them every 10th mowing (I track that in my lawn journal). There’s science behind a good lawn and the timing of fertilizers.

And when someone comes over and says, “wow … look at your lawn ….WOW!” … I beam with pride.

This year (2026), it’s been a very good year to have a lawn in Michigan. It’s been a mix of the perfect amount of well-timed rain, cool temperatures for the entire month of June, and a lack of Canadian wildfires messing with the sunshine and making the rain toxic.

This week? In Michigan? The cooler temps are giving way to near 100-degree days and, I know, even if I drag the sprinkler out … the next two weeks, there’s not a day below 90-degrees in the forecast and suddenly my near-perfect lawn is gonna get brown and crispy. Weeds that thrive in hot temperatures will spread, aggressively drinking all the water in the soil, and the soil will turn to dirt and will become hard like concrete.

It won’t be my fault.

But if I take all the credit for an amazing lawn, shouldn’t I take the blame for when the lawn starts to look like crap?

A lawn is a lesson in humility.

A lawn is a metaphor.

When I hear someone say they’re “self-made” or that they achieved their success by “pulling themselves up by the bootstraps,” it sometimes makes me roll my eyes.

Yes. Some people rise to levels of success that their background suggests is impossible. I’m not saying it never happens and when it does and it’s a true rags-to-riches tale… it’s jaw dropping.

But as Gary Vaynerchuk often points out … by the very fact you’re alive at all (I’m talking birds and bees stuff), you’ve overcome a million-to-one odds. And that was lucky.

And as he also points out … if you had unconditional love from your parents, and eventually from brothers and sisters, and you made some great friends … again … your luck, like mine, just kept piling up.

If you’re in good health, have food when you’re hungry, have shelter from the cold, and you feel safe at night when you sleep? Dude! You and me? We hit the lottery.

I am where I am, in life, because of a giant combination of factors beyond my control. My lawn reminds me of that. It’s looking darn good, this year, due to a great many things I have zero control over.

My lawn reminds me … be humble.

TEND TO YOUR LAWN AND GARDEN FOR BETTER MENTAL HEALTH

It is said that, for better mental health and better fitness, we should all spend some time in nature. My little 7,000 square foot lawn and my modest attempt at a flower garden, and the few pots I use to try and grow some herbs and vegetables every season … it’s my “time in nature,” and when I mow my lawn and obsess over it …it’s me “becoming one with nature.”

For me? It’s both fun and therapeutic. There’s a sense of pride and accomplishment when I wake up in the morning, make myself a cup of coffee, and I head outside to water the flowers, pull a few weeds in my rock path and in the lawn (if the weeds are obvious from 15 to 20 feet away), and I just take in the green and the colors.

It fills me with pride over a job well done.

My 2026 lawn and garden, so far, can be credited to my hard work … but also … a little luck. Or lots of luck.

Which is the same thing in life. It’s the same thing with my job. It’s the same thing in sales – my career. It’s the same thing with my friendships and relationships. It’s the same thing with my kids and my relationship with them. Or with my marriage.

When the temperatures are cool, the rain is consistent, and the sun shines … everyone has a great lawn. It’s easy. It’s lucky.

But when temperatures soar and there’s a drought and weeds take over and some weird bug starts eating all the leaves and when deer can’t find food or water and the leaves and flowers are their only source of hydration? Then? It’s really difficult to have a postcard perfect lawn and garden.

Just like in life. When the economy isn’t great, and people get hired, fired, or promoted and a job changes. Or an arguement happens with someone in your life. Or a health issue derails you . . .

We have to remember. Sometimes? All the great things happen because we worked hard, followed the script, studied in school, listened to the boss, learned how to close a sale and make presentations, and we have irresistable charisma.

But sometimes? The great things are just alotta great luck. And the bad things aren’t always because of mistakes or evil intent. It’s just bad luck.

May your lawn be green. Your flowers bloom. And may you, above all, always look for the little blessings (aka “good luck”) and appreciate your luck.