“The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence.”
The proverb spotlights a very usual and entirely normal human tendency. Namely, that as humans, we are always peaking over the fence, admiring what others have, finding ourselves desirous of those perceived luxuries, pleasures, and even happy moments. We peer into our neighbor’s yards and see the bigger pool, the better grill, damn it—their family even smiles brighter than our own, and, but of course, their grass does seem to have a slightly deeper green hue to it, or, simply put, greener grass.
But can we really trust our eyes? Is this not part illusion of the mind? Is it not the case that we simply do not feel and know the struggle, hardship, and strife that comes along with their life? The weight and burden they carry, similarly to us, as something we typically bear but do not display?
Look around yourself. Is there not one thing to be grateful for, or at the very least, one thing, either material or non-material, that your neighbor might be envious of? And would he then not look over into your yard and after a moment of reflection think to himself, “….their grass does seem to be…..greener.”
Perhaps one day you have this realization. You see the world a little more clearly, you understand human nature a little better. You understand we all have our weights, albeit of different variety, brands, titles. You understand that humanity, past and future, will always have a tendency to romanticize that which we can see but have not experienced. Such as how we romanticize past generations, other societies and cultures, or even simply our neighbors lives.
You might think that along with this realization comes contentment with one’s own life and experience, but not always. Just because you realize each life-style comes with both its “greener grass” as well as its weights and burdens, does not necessarily make those alternative life-styles any less interesting, any less romantic, any less unknown.
I look to rest of the world, I peer over onto that which is on the other side of the fence, and while I perceive the grass as that much greener, I also realize that there is much more behind the scene, which I do not see, which I do not have access to from my side of the fence. I cannot help but to find myself cursed, or perhaps blessed, with an itch of curiosity, an itch to jump the fence and explore all of that which is unknown and unseen from where I am now.
In Short, the grass looks greener on the other side of the fence. From experience and reason, I assume that their grass cannot be infinitely and in all manners greener than the grass I know. At end, it’s the ups and downs, the perks and drags, the pros and cons, the benefits and hindrances, it’s the life-style in its entirety that intrigues me. I know what it’s like, for better and for worse, on my side of the fence, and now it’s time to hop the fence and experience something new, taste different life-styles, and know first-hand rather than just speculate from home.
It is time to experience exactly what is….on the other side of the fence.
