Aug 28, 2022 -- It's Not Always Greener

 

The Grass Isn’t Always Greener

Carrie Keiser

Stan had always done everything by the book, he walked the walk and toed the line. So, when one day, he walked off that path, it took all who knew him by surprise.  He had been caught up in that old adage that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence. He’d spent years quietly observing, and it sure looked greener over there.  It’s not that he was unhappy with his life, he appeared to have it all, the job, the car, the family, but in his mind, others seemed to be happier, to enjoy life to the fullest with out the restrictions he felt his life had. 

What looked to the outside as a sudden 180, had really been happening in his mind for a good long while. First, Stan left for a week long “work trip”: accepted a new position, rented an apartment and bought a few toys: a boat, new truck and a motorcycle.  He’d been putting money away on the sly for years he didn’t want his family to suffer for his choices, but he felt that he was stuck and needed a change.  Over the next weeks he made small insignificant changes until he quietly packed a bag and left the house for the last time, leaving an envelope on the nightstand.  

As he walked slowly down the street to his new F-150, he was shedding the shell of his life, seemingly to never look back. Now, he thought he would really live. Oh and he did for a while. He ran the bar scene and found countless companions to enjoy trips to the lake and long fast rides on his motorcycle every weekend.  He’d even gone so far as to fill out the divorce papers, hadn’t quite gotten them sent, yet, but he’d do that tomorrow after work and before heading off to fish at the lake with some new buddies.  Oh, life was grand, or so he thought. 

That weekend at the lake, some his friends had had a few too many and were spilling there guts about their life's challenges. As he sipped his drink and listened, his heart was heavy, he heard his old self coming from their mouths. All of sudden he missed the things they were complaining about. Stan missed the kids' concerts, he missed the way his wife would slip into bed and wrap her arms around him, he missed his kids running in the house after school bursting with all the emotions of the day good and bad.  He missed being needed, really needed.  He wanted to tell these guys that the life they were bemoaning really IS the good life, that life isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence.

He wondered and felt deep in his soul that he had made an irreparable mistake. That last swallow went down hard and he excused himself for a walk.  Stan found an old log and sat down to contemplate how he ended up in this situation.  Wasn’t this supposed to be the good stuff?  Oh! how he wished he’d never crossed that fence.

He wiped a stray tear from his cheek, he hadn’t even realized he’d been crying. Slowly Stan walked back to those guys laughing and carrying on.  He thought, maybe when he got home tomorrow evening, that he’d call his wife. She might forgive him, take him back, hope was trying to grow. Then he thought: why should she? It’s been what 6, no 9 months since he had contact with her, she’d been so sad and upset when they talked. He hung his head in shame and fear, that he had completely messed up his life.  The tiny flame of hope flickered, as he made his way through the group and into his tent. Tomorrow, he thought, tomorrow he would think about how to fix this.

The Grass Isn’t Always Greener on the Otherside

Flynn Family Story Slingers

28 August 2022

By Cary Holmquist

After some careful observation, it appears that the grass is greener on the other side of the fence mostly because the neighbor waters much more often.   Which means he must mow more often, otherwise his grass will begin looking like  my grass.  All that water probably reduces the chances of grass fires.

Meanwhile, my method saves a great deal of time, gas/electricity, much lower noise pollution, less draw down on the water table and probably other resources in exchange for a yard that does not compete with the golf course down the road.  And fewer neighborhood or stray dogs venture on my side of the fence to do their nasty business.  Cats have more adventure “chasing” mice.  Horses admire the view for its promise.  

So, although the grass might be greener-looking over there, it is short, heavy maintenance and expensive.  And metaphorically, it’s more carefree to be relaxed.

By: Aaron Leavitt

One last step and he fell, plunging 40 feet. Evidently the other side was a cliff.

Story Slingers Prompt

"The Grass Is Not Always Greener"

Aug 28, 2022

Daren Flynn

What does it Mean?

When you define a saying,

Sometimes it's not just what it seems.

The people who coin a phrase

Just assume you know what it means.

You take a phrase as it is

Mat get you in deep trouble,

So my advise to you is

To be wise or you may struggle.

As an example, just take

The saying that everyone knows,

Which if followed word for word,

Could be the cause of many woes.

"The grass is greener," they say,

"On the other side of the fence."

But that's not always the case.

So I hope you'll not take offense.

But when our "Bossie" escaped

By stepping over a downed wire,

Then taking just a few steps,

Found herself bogged down in a mire.

"Always look before you leap."

And that is always good advice.

So, don't be like our "Bossie"

When placing your foot, be precise.