Grass is Greener Glasses

What if the grass really is greener on the other side?

Have you ever asked this question? I know I have. Just the other day I was asking this very question.

I was sitting at a beautiful restaurant on The Cape, waves crashing behind me when a lovely couple came in and sat down. We began to introduce ourselves. She was a news anchor living part time in Manhattan and part time on the Cape. She just got back from China six months ago finishing up a contract with a major news station. Her son was of school age and she just was just reunited with the love of her life two months ago. They went to high school with each other, and both had eyes for one another but never said anything…until now that is. He was handsome, kind, well educated, and recently sold his business for millions of dollars and now was retired as a forty-something year old.

“What about you?” She says….I start looking around..”Me?” She wanted to hear my story? No way, my life felt like dust compared to her sparkly one. I felt like I was talking to Sex and The City’s Carrie Bradshaw and I was just an extra in the scene. I began to share what I thought of as a seemingly average story and she was amazed! So much so that she stopped me and made sure to include her millionaire partner on my story.

This got me thinking….Are we all just assuming our life is mundane and average? Are we just all on the outside looking in seeing others’ lives as sparkly and new without flaw? Are we all just seeing life through “grass is greener” glasses?

How can we begin to see our lives the way others see it? How can we keep our feet on the ground when our heads are in the clouds?

My first idea? Gratitude. Gratitude wires us up for connection with self, others, and the universe. It helps us see the sparkle in our own lives. And it helps us stay grounded, allowing us to be where our feet are. Present.

I am so grateful I got to experience this conversation and was able to peer into the life of someone else. It is exciting to witness another person and learn from them and their stories. Although, It can be so easy to see their life as greener, richer, fuller…know that they may be looking at yours with the same glasses.

The next right thing….Practice gratitude today. No matter how great or small. A sunset, the beautiful leaves as they change color, running water, your own breath.

Carve out space for yourself today.  Close your eyes. Place your hands on your heart space. Breathe. Express gratitude. Stay Present. Be where your feet are.