Leveling Up

Yesterday I was struggling with the weedeater, Gail says, "Get in, we're going to get you a new machine, I'm sick of this one breaking down on you."

We walked into Scotty's saw shop and there were mountains of gas weedeaters he had ordered in preparation for the California small- gas-engine cutoff. (I'll leave my soap box tucked away on that subject!)

I was SO excited to get a brand new machine. Scotty said, "Wow, I've never had any one ever get this excited over a trimmer." I laughed heartily, Gail said, "You don't know Erica, then."

We left and went home with the new toy.

I mixed the gas and fired her up.

For the last 3 years I've been caretaking the ranch I have been limping along a no-name 4-stroke weedeater that could barely handle the tall grass on the property. This new machine is a dream to operate in comparison! Like going from a Camry to a Lambo.

But, while using it yesterday, I noticed that something had happened. It's a theme I've seen play out in my life multiple times. Because I've been using the poor machine for 3 years, I mastered being nice to it. It was all I had. I maintained it, I cleaned it, most importantly I learned how to operate it properly so that it would work to the best of its (meager) ability. It was my skill that had improved, not the machine.

Yesterday, I was able to combine my skills with a new, capable machine and the combination was AMAZING.

It made me realize how many hours I had spent on our hillside, tearing too-tall grass out of the old crappy, mis-matched, after-market weedeater head, until I learned how to properly use the machine. That first year I was frustrated, I was learning.

That crappy old machine helped build some of the patience I am capable of today.

It helped me learn when to cut the grass, and how. I had to master the skill organically and then I was able to "level up" in life.

This is how it all works. There's nothing in life that doesn't work this way.

You get better, the Universe rises to meet you.

All you have to do is decide you want to grow.

You commit, SHE does the rest.

"When the student is ready, the teacher appears. But when the student is no longer a student, the master disappears."

Learning. Living. Growing. Reaching. Achieving.

These are the themes of my life.

I am so grateful!

What an honor it is to care for a place as beautiful as this! I said goodbye to office work years ago.

I take my board meetings in the redwoods, and my work breaks in a redwood chair high on the hill overlooking this land that I love.

I feel blessed to live on, and pour my heart into this place.

It is my honor to be her steward.

I wouldn't have it any other way.

The skills I'm learning are priceless to me.

Watching Gail's face as her place is shined up and becomes a working place again, these are the greatest rewards of my life.

I am happiest when I'm in service

Story and Photo by Erica Canevari ©