Only after digging a small fish pond, and almost dying in the process, did I realize I was growing older and frailer. My usual optimism was impaired by thoughts I had never had before. I came to realize that none of us escape aging, but with acceptance of the mercilessness of time, we can age gracefully, and hopefully, wiser. This study in Effectology illustrates how the exhausting physical demands of manual labor triggered effects that strongly impacted on my life.