I’ve Dug Many a Mighty Fine Hole for Myself

                An open patch of ground and a shovel is all that I need to have a good time. Nothing fancy, just a hole in the ground. Ever since I was a kid I liked to dig holes. They never serve any intended purpose, and are just something that I enjoy from time to time. Digging holes is a relaxing, physical, and strangely rewarding activity.

                The activity of digging is relaxing to me due to it repetitive and somewhat rhythmic nature. The steady step-scoop-dump action is simple and soothing. The biggest problem I could imagine occurring would be placing your dirt pile too close to your hole, so that the dirt runs back in (also hitting utilities might ruin your day). It is a very straightforward activity, and it can hold my focus for long periods of time without my getting bored. Being outdoors also helps to relax me, and digging feels like it is interactive with nature, but not in a jarring way. I can’t fully articulate it but digging just makes me feel at peace.

                Digging’s physical nature is also something that I enjoy. Digging can be a work out, but isn’t strenuous, and you only have to work as hard as you want to. Working up a sweat isn’t hard, and sore muscles aren’t uncommon, but it doesn’t make me want to throw up like when I do more intense exercise like jogging or swimming. Handling a shovel is a very good way to get calluses, which I enjoy for their sheer manliness. Blisters are not unheard of, but I kind of enjoy them too in my own “hardship builds character” way. Another side effect is getting dirty, but in its pure form. Literally being covered in dirt is fairly tame, and is just sort of fun in a slapstick kind of way.

                Creating something has always made me feel good, and few creations are more simple or uncomplicated than a hole. Unlike similar activities like shoveling snow, or chopping wood, digging is done solely for its own sake. I’ve had that odd fantasy of finding a fossil, some gold, or a lost artifact, but there is never any disappointment when I don’t. The activity is the goal, and the end result is clear. An elementary hole can never really be finished, but it is always finished at the same time. It can always be deeper or wider, but it remains a hole. It is something that is already perfect, but can still be improved. I think that this is a feature that only straightforward creations like holes can possess.

                All in all, I think it is the simplicity that is what I truly enjoy about holes. Digging a hole is an unadulterated act of creation, and is not lacking for anything in my opinion.