The Grass Is Greener Where It Is Being Watered

“Start where you are. Distant fields always look greener, but opportunity lies right where you are. Take advantage of every opportunity of service.”—Robert Collier

At first glance, the grass always looks greener on the other side, and as a result everyone generally wants to be in somebody else's shoes; they are tempted to think the other guy is luckier compared to them. 

However, not everything is as it seems. In this life, very few things are—for all intents and purposes—exactly like they appear to be. What you see at a far distance is rarely what you see when you get close enough. 

Moreover, when the grass is even greener on the other side, there is more to the story than you care to believe. I can assure you the other side is spending more time, energy and resources on her garden than you do.

With that said, I believe we can also choose to make our own garden lush. We can make our grass greener. We can make it as green as we truly want it to be. 

Let’s move forward to see how we can make that happen

How to Have a Lush Garden

Very simply, to make your garden lush, nurture it diligently.

If we want to have the greenest grass in town, we can. But we need to spend more time than others working in our garden, tending to it, and clearing away the weeds.  In anything, value is created through intelligent work.

We can’t rest on our laurels if we want to remain evergreen.  No matter how you define success—greener grass— it is never owned. It is rented and the rent is due everyday. 

Whether we want to become more righteous, raise decent children, have an amazing career or sustain an exemplary marriage; it’s going to require unremitting efforts.  The key to having a ‘lush garden’ in any area of focus is to keep working on the right elements of our ‘plot.’

To gain motivation on this level of self-reliance and personal responsibility, read what Ezra Taft Benson, the former American Secretary of Agriculture has to tell us. He said: 

“When you are tempted to look elsewhere for greener pastures, just remember someone else is probably looking at yours. And if another pasture looks greener, perhaps it is getting better care and attention. Grass is always greener . . . where it is watered.”

In this direction, the Persian scholar and the author of ‘Alchemy of Happiness,’ Abu Hamid Al-Ghazzali (RA) has a moral lesson to share. He related:  “As I look back on my life, I realize that every time I thought I was being rejected from something good; I was actually being redirected to something better. You must convince your heart that whatever God has decreed (for you) is most appropriate and most beneficial to you.” 

And Marcus Aurelius, the Good Roman Emperor added his own bit: “Accept whatever comes to you woven in the pattern of your destiny, for what could more aptly fit your need?”

In essence, the sages of old are reminding us that right mental attitude is necessary to get the best out of life, whatever may be our circumstances. With right mental attitude and little exertion of our limbs, we can turn rags into a robe, misfortunes into a fortune, and create an oasis in the middle of a desert.

So, if your neighbour’s garden appears greener than yours and you feel envious. You’re misdirecting your focus. Instead, adopt the key insight of the wise: The grass is not always greener on the other side. It is always greener where it is being watered.

Now change your mental attitude from negative to positive. Choose to always nurture your own ‘plot’ to the best of your ability and you won’t have the time for envy, jealousy and complaint.

Going forward, decide to always mind your own business. Decide to always water your own grass; the grass is always greener where it is always being watered.