"The Grass is Always Greener on the Other Side"

If I had to create a bumper sticker that modeled my philosophy for life, it would be "the grass is always greener on the other side."

Many times in my life I've found myself saying, "if only I..." and usually filling in the blank with "had this, could do this, was able to, was in a different situation." When I was in college my most common "grass is greener" complaint was that I was completely paying for my own education while many of my friends had parents putting them through school. I would think, and sometimes say, "it would be so nice if someone was paying for me to go to school. Then I wouldn't have so much debt, have to work full time and take classes, or feel tired all my life." It wasn't until I graduated college, got my first "real" job and actually found myself making it in the world of adults that I realized how valuable paying my own way had been. While many of the people I knew struggled, lived at home, couldn't budget (and therefore couldn't always eat), I was fine. The idea of working 9 to 5, coming home to relax, finding pleasure in the small things, and always looking forward to the weekend was nothing new to me. This is about the time I adopted the phrase, "the grass is always greener on the other side." If I had not supported myself through school perhaps I would have struggled when it came time to join the adult world.

In my life these days the biggest "grass is greener" complaint I hear is among my girlfriends who are raising young children. I have two sets of friends - the moms who stay at home and the moms who work. The ones who stay at home think they would love to go back to work full time and enjoy being their own person again. The ones who work think they would love to stay at home with their kids so as not to miss the everyday things that go by too quickly. I find myself happily in the middle. I work and I love it. I stay at home with my son some days and love it. I'm happy doing both because I realize that neither way is better. Now that I understand that everyone wants what they can't or don't have, I'm actually a happier person. I like what I have in my life and feel lucky to be where I am.

Sure it would be nice to have five million dollars, look like JLo, and sound like Beyonce, but I'll bet if you asked them they'd tell you they have problems too!