"For what the mind can perceive, you can achieve."
W. Clement Stone
May 1
The days just keep getting warmer and longer! This time of year always brings back memories of when the kids were younger!
Things were really busy with the kids' sports and the school year winding down to a close. I remember once I picked up the kids after school one day.
I had six of them with me. I dropped off two of them at their practices and was driving home with the remaining four when Jose started talking about how some girl was driving our daughter Cristina crazy. I asked him what was this girl doing that was so bad and Jose told us that no matter what his sister did or wore, this girl would copy her.
"What, like mimicking her?" I asked not quite getting it.
"Yeah like that! If Cristina wears her hair up, this girl copies her and wears it the same way the next day. You know how Cristina joined flag football?" He asked.
"Yes. Why?"
"Well, she signed up too! And she doesn't even like football! All she does is flirt with the boys and act stupid to get attention!" He said.
"You know Jose, they say that imitation is the best form of flattery" I replied trying to sound cheerful.
The truth was I wasn't too cheerful on that subject. I had been going through the same thing lately! I could understand this going on at the junior high level but the woman acting this way was in her late thirties!
At first I hadn't even noticed. Later on when it was impossible not to notice because it was so obvious, I ignored it.
I guess this aggravated this woman even more because she went totally overboard! I wear my nails a certain way which isn't common, she went and got the same style.
She cut and styled her hair the same as mine, would buy the exact same suits and dresses I would buy.
I am not a fashion mogul, I never wear what's "in"! I wear what I like, no matter how different. This was why it became so obvious!
It was so bad she would show up to the functions and events I ran for the City of Lowell! It got to the point that she even bought a ring with my birthstone on it and would wear it constantly! I felt like I was in that crazy movie, "Single white female"!
The logic behind this behavior totally escaped me and trust me, when I tell you, I was not flattered! So I totally knew how my daughter felt!
"That's just annoying!" Jose snorted, "Cristina is not happy at all!"
"Maybe this girl just thinks the grass is greener on the other side. She might be a little insecure around Cristina so she acts that way to compensate for it!" I answered. Jose gave me the "yeah, how dumb, eyebrow raise".
"I didn't say it made sense! Look, I have gone through something similar and while I agreed that it was annoying, it's best just to ignore it, otherwise they just keep doing it to annoy you!" I told him, half-heartedly, because I, a full grown woman, was having a hard time following my own advice!
"That's silly!" Alexi's tiny voice piped in from the back seat. He was so quiet I had forgotten he was there! (This happens a lot in our family!)
"What is, honey?" I asked.
"Well of course the grass is greener on the other side. Cause if you are so busy looking and being nosy about someone else's grass, your grass is going to die cause you aren't taking care of it! If you spent your time taking care of your own grass then it would be nice and green, greener than the other guy's!" He said smiling.
Our jaws dropped! Will life never seize to amaze me?
Jose looked at me as I shook my head. This from the mouth of babes, a first grade babe at the time! Jose reached over and nudged me, "Did you hear that!?""Hear it? I am still in shock!" Not only did he get the whole conversation and its meaning, but he came up with a deep philosophical truth that learned scholars couldn't have explained so clearly!
Alexi turned his head and proceeded to look out the window again.
His words kept coming back to me. How true his observation was! If we, as humans, spent our time cultivating the things the Lord had blessed us with, instead of obsessing over the things we don't have, our grass would be the greenest!
Our talents would be better honed. Our homes would be more loving and kind, our marriages sweeter and more fulfilling. We would appreciate our children more, our jobs would be more satisfying and we in general would be happier!
Notice I didn't say we would be thinner, richer, prettier, taller, shorter, more talented or famous! I said happier! There are countless people who have all the things I have just mentioned yet they are not happy!
We need to truly appreciate our own grass.
Funny thing is if we were on the other side, all of a sudden our old grass would suddenly look so much better!
I have known some people who after they get divorced and when their ex-spouse starts to date again, they feel that she/he starts looking so good all of a sudden!
Hold on, wasn't this the same person who you divorced because... (Fill in the blanks!)
Now because someone else finds them appealing, all the good memories come rushing back? Where were those memories when you were married to them?
Alexi had pointed out the obvious, at least obvious to a six-year old, not so obvious to adults.
It would never seize to amaze me how we humans continue to muck up and make things difficult that should be easy.
I had learned such an incredible life lesson in the car that day. I realized that as long as I focused on my grass it would always be green and appealing to me.
I also got a deeper understanding of where the woman copying me, and the girl annoying my daughter were coming from.
I realized that it wasn't our challenge, it was theirs. All I could do was pray for them to truly find themselves.
I hoped that they would learn to love themselves and to not feel a need to covet other people's lives.
I snuck a peek at Alexi through the rear view mirror and marveled at how sometimes God sends important messages with really, tiny messengers! I am glad I was listening!
"Hey" Alexi yelled out all of a sudden," So, whose grass are we talking about, anyway?"
We all busted out laughing as he looked confused at us.
"Baby, no one important, but you have taught us to remember to really appreciate our grass better!" I answered.
"Ah, question", He asked.
"Yeah, babe", I answered.
"Our backyard is bald, does this mean we have been too busy looking at the neighbor's yard instead?" He asked wide eyed.
Once again we laughed out loud.
"You know what buddy, maybe we have. What do you say we go buy some grass seeds and change that?"
"Way cool!" He cheered.
Now, I wonder if my hubby was going to be as excited about this new project as Alexi.
