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All that green grass

“The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” an American proverb of discontent.

Americans need a proverb to exclaim their discontent? Who’s surprised by this?

Let’s take a moment to consider how that grass got so green anyway. Afterward, some words will encourage us to be content and offer a mindset that might help with that rare condition.

Why the Grass is Green

“The grass is always greener over the septic tank” is a phrase made popular because of Erma Bombeck’s book of the same title. That little tweak to the original proverb narrows the focus.

Why is their grass so green? Maybe they spend all their time watering it. Or their dog fertilizes it regularly.

Or perhaps it’s because a septic drain field is supplying it endlessly with more nitrogen (translation: there’s tons of crap beneath the surface).

When we look with envy, we aren’t considering anything except for what we see. We don’t wonder how much hard work it took to get to that place. We haven’t a clue what sort of sacrifices may have been made along the way – including family, peace or character.

All that green grass could be hiding a pile of stinky stuff. You know what I mean.

Would you feel as green with envy if you saw the turds beneath the turf?

Live in your Own Yard

Staring with longing at another person’s success is unhealthy for many reasons.

The biggest problem: it freezes us.

It’s hard to move forward with any purpose or precision when our eyes are looking right or left. And that’s exactly what’s happening if we’re contemplating the neighbor’s lovely grass.

We won’t ever have that exact grass anyway. We do have grass of our own. Maybe it’s patchy with weeds or has a plague of brown spots.

Will it get greener just because we’re staring at the perfect yard across the street?

Obviously not.

Yet, some of us don’t live in our own present. We’re focused on what it will be like once we become a bestselling author or get a six-figure book deal.

And the grass around us withers and dies.

Life is filled with moments. Will you live in your present? Or will fantasies of the future rob you of the joy of what is happening now (even if it isn’t joyful, it is needful on the road to your personal growth).

Seasons Change

Bring on the positive mindset needed to be content with our own crab grass and wilty fauna.

This too shall pass

Grass browns up in the winter. If you live in an arid climate, it might begin its death march in July or August.

When the rainy season comes? It greens up again.

At this moment, things might be falling apart. Nothing seems to be going right. There’s death, destruction, defeat and disappointment galore.

It won’t last forever. Just like time moves the seasons from hot to cold, from dry to wet, it moves us away from hard times.

Of course, we know if we fertilize at the end of the growing season, our grass will come back greener in the spring. We need to feed ourselves with the same positive thoughts.

  • This will be the manuscript that sells.
  • The cancer will still be in remission.
  • A better job will present itself.

If you’re experiencing a hard season, my friend, know that it won’t last forever. How can you use the difficulty to grow your character? Don’t let the pain be for nothing.

How about you? Are you a “grass is always greener” sort of person?

6 thoughts on “All that green grass”

    1. Jenny-
      I hope it helped you feel better to read it this week. And know you’re not alone in the struggle to appreciate where you are – when it isn’t where you want to be.
      There’s always tomorrow 🙂

  1. And sometimes the questions might be, Do I really need it to be that green? Is it all about the grass? If it is, am I doing all i can to take care of what I have control over and make the best I can make it? I think you did a good job of suggesting that the outside conditions might affect what we see, but sometimes it’s also about our care, expectations and perspectives. AND, Sometimes life ain’t nothing about the grass, even though that’s what we’re intent on looking at. 🙂

    1. Tiersa-
      Very true. Obviously, where I’m at right now…I need the reminders that the external rarely reflects the TRUE nature of the internal. Because the internal is what will carry into the eternal.
      How was that for confusing?

  2. I have to confess I haven’t seen the title of the book before and I laughed out loud, so… I had to read the post. This is an awesome reminder to be happy with what we have! I have a forest as my yard, not grass. I have bear scat in my yard to fertilize, not dog fertilizer. But the idea remains and I’ll remember it today.

    1. Kristina-
      I’m sure I showed my age by referencing Erma Bombeck’s book.
      All of us need reminders to be grateful for what we have and to enjoy where we are at the moment. There’s too much focus on getting more and being better in our society, and sometimes it robs us of the joy of the here and now.
      Thanks for stopping by. I’m always happy to give someone a good chuckle.
      Sharon

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