Over the weekend my niece graduated from Iowa University with an education Masters degree. At the end of the ceremony “Herky the Hawk”, the school mascot, made an appearance as the Iowa ‘fight’ song was sung. The ceremony was very nice but what struck me with a close-up sighting of the mascot was how mean he looked. I guess a mean look is fittingly for a “Herky the Hawk” sports mascot. But I was glad that no small child was in the way of this fighting Hawkeye. Herky the Hawk is no Bernie Brewer, the sports mascot for the Milwaukee Brewer baseball team.
Sports are big in this country and take a lot of time and energy. I know the lure of sports. Recently I have had a TV baseball or basketball game in the background as I work on the computer or sort my mail. It really slows down what I am doing but I keep doing it. When the Milwaukee Brewers baseball team lost again tonight I was more disappointed than I would have been if I had just heard abut the loss. I enjoy watching sports on TV but afterward feel like I have wasted time.
After the weekend trip to Iowa it was back to the garden today. Garden work, unlike watching sports on TV, is very engaging. The garden game never ends. There is always more to do. It takes time and, like watching sports on TV, is enjoyable while I am doing it. However, afterward I feel satisfied, not like I have wasted time. This is true even when I work in the garden to transform waste into soil.
Working in the Garden is day work; watching the TV is night work. Working on the garden is refreshing and engaging. Watching TV is okay and passive. Working on the garden feels satisfying and watching TV feels wasteful. It is our choice: Garden or TV Sports.
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