Digging In (Friday Fictioneers)

Posted on by Prior...

“Digging In” Fiction word count: 99

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I would not pay someone to make love to my wife. That luxury is all mine.

Similarly, I am not paying anyone to do my gardening for me.

My hands need to touch the soil.

My arms need to push that shovel and my foot

needs to press

on down.

Good for the bones.

Good for the soul.

Pay someone else to do it?

no way….

This luxury is all mine!

All mine…

to grit and sweat it out.

Sometimes the real richness in this world is found by digging in. 

Now let’s see,

will you hand me that fourth shovel?

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Author Note:

The idea for this fiction was inspired by yesterday’s post with the laundry talk (here).

And how a few folks shared the delight they had with hanging clothes outside (or bed sheets) – to get that nice off-the-line feel with that fresh air smell.

Sure, some folks have a laundry service and I know that new moms might need some help with that extra laundry…..

But sometimes – there are certain things we do not because we have to – but because we want to – we get to!

Some things we do for “us” – because it taps into our humanity and keeps us alive. 

Oh and the ending part – about the 4th shovel – that was attempt at humor because the man had three shovels around him in the photo (credit to Connie Gayer). I thought the three shovels were interesting – do you know why he has that many?

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Have a great day–

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40 thoughts on “Digging In (Friday Fictioneers)”

    1. well said, T!
      And I think if I spent some time on this short fiction I could have some better analogies – but I did not want to spend much time on it and I did not want to write a sensual piece…. but could have wrote about penetrating the ground and then the guy is “in” the hole (I know, I know = yikes)
      hah

      Liked by 2 people

  6. This is very nice. I’ve tried to explain to friends that this is how I feel about many of the projects I do around our house. I do them because they need to be done, and I do them for me.

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    1. Yes, Dan – I get that vibe from you with your construction projects – and Norm has it too – and both of you guys come to mind when I see a dry and thirsty door. A long time ago I posted a very dry and thirsty door in a Thursday Doors post and I will never forget how both you and Norm responded to it – something like how you could just see oil going on or a paint job.
      And yes, time to pay someone for certain jobs – but somethings – as you said “do them for me”

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  7. I love this, Yvette,

    As one who still hangs her clothes on the line as soon as it is nice outside, I can appreciate doing things for oneself (that one enjoys doing, of course…)

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    1. I still hang my clothes outside, all year long. We have a covered porch over our downstairs patio. Sometimes I need to bring the clothes in and spread them around the house, making it look like a Chinese laundromat, but I love the smell of wind-dried fabric.

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        2. Seriously. Same here. Humidity felt in your bones in the winter and draws all life from you in the summer…

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        3. side note – but I did find that i adjusted to weather once my body became Physically healthier. Well I was never that unhealthy – but had to fortify my terrain – which meant improving digestive health – and that helped my blood health.
          Now I see how much of our blood health is related to regulating body temperature.
          The hemoglobin helps us cool down in summer and warm up in winter and methyl B-12 and iron absorption were key for me – but so many things helped (sum of many parts).

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      2. the Chinese laundromat is something I can envision – and how cool that your covered porch allows you to hang stuff all year if needed.

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  13. Your opening sentence is terrific – and hilarious. It makes your point instantly! And I enjoyed your joke about the shovels.

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    1. Thanks so much for that feedback about the placement of that point.
      And I actually could have written a fifty word piece and made the same point (na dleft the where is the shovel part out) – ya know? But wanted to get close to 100 – Thx again

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