We were walking through the Wonderopolis pasture the other day and overheard an interesting conversation between a crow sitting on a fence post and a cow grazing in the pasture:
Crow: Hey Cow! What are you up to?
Cow: Hello, Crow! I'm just having a late lunch. What are you doing?
Crow: Nothing much. Why do you stick your neck through the fence to eat the grass over here?
Cow: You know the old saying: "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."
Crow: Hmm. Not from where I'm sitting. You've got plenty of green grass on your side.
Cow: I guess you're right. It helps to get a bird's eye view sometimes!
Do you ever feel like the cow from time to time? You fail to see all you already have around you while instead you concentrate on what others have. "The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence" is indeed a popular saying, but it's rarely used literally.
Instead, most of the time we use the phrase ironically to communicate the exact opposite : the grass is NOT always greener on the other side of the fence. Rather than focusing on what others have, simply be grateful for what you already have.
Where is the other side of the fence? For pasture animals, the fence defines the limit of where they can roam. They get very used to their side of the fence. The other side of the fence represents an unknown world full of possibilities.
For humans, it's a metaphor for what's beyond our reach. It represents what our friends or neighbors have that we do not have. Unfortunately, it can become an obsession that blinds us to the treasures we already possess.
Despite all we have, we can sometimes look past all the positives to focus only on the negatives. Sometimes, no matter what our circumstances, we think we would be happier in a different set of circumstances. "If only…" becomes our focus and a way of expressing dissatisfaction with our current situation.
Instead of thinking about the greener grass on the other side of the fence, mental experts would tell you that the grass is greenest where you water it. That's right where you are! Spend time appreciating what you already have and investing in making your current situation the best it can be.
Some believe the true secret to happiness is wanting what you already have. Do you regularly take time to take stock of all the people and things that make your life what it is today? If you do, you might just find that the grass is already very green and it's right under your feet!