The grass is always greener AND the Saga

I haven't quite figured out why we always think the grass is greener in somebody else's pasture. Perhaps because it's further away we can't see the weeds and bare spots. On our own little patch we're intimately acquainted with every stone, every dandelion, every thistle, and every stubborn area that refuses to grow anything at all. Across the road, all we see is that beautiful sea of green.

Of course, our lives are like that. We look at celebrities and the rich and famous and think, "Their lives must be so much better than mine." And yet if all the recent media reports are true, the rich and famous struggle with the same difficulties as the poor and obscure. They just get to do it in the full light of day. True, money does help with some issues. It buys food and shelter and lawyers. But jail is jail is jail. It's a record that doesn't go away. Drugs and alcohol can ruin lives at whatever social strata they occur. Children of the wealthy can be just as neglected as children of the poor... maybe even more so.

Instead of lusting after the green fields across the road, perhaps our energies would be better spent in working in our own yards. Rip out those prickly weeds. Fertilize that bare spot and add some seeds. Or toss some wild flower seeds out there and allow some beauty to invade our lives. We can look around us and appreciate the abundance growing in our own patch of ground.

And it's okay if it doesn't look like everyone else's. Our patch should be a unique production that reflects who we are. Our hobbies and interests and talents are gifts from God that we need to value instead of wishing that we had someone else's. Everyone had a gift. The most valuable gift I know of is a smile. If you have the gift of a smile, then you're way ahead of everyone else in the world. Last night three of my friends made me smile. All evening. And when I went to bed I was still smiling. That's a priceless gift. Priceless.

What is yours?

Anny

Yesterday Amarinda left me in a ticklish spot...

“You’re just annoyed that The Mary got the better of you,” Sparky taunted the bird.

“Shut up!” That the bitch known as The Mary treated him so badly still ruffled his magenta feathers. “I have a plan.” Lawrence knew every great battle had a commander and he was the Winston Churchill of parakeets.

“Uh huh…” Oz murmured, eyes glued on the crystal.

“Pay attention!” He demanded, annoyed that his voice broke into a screech. It was so not cool when that happened. He could see Sparky snicker. He would be the first one Lawrence killed when he had the loot. “Here’s what we will do…”

Yeah, HERE'S what we'll do!

“Oh, sneck up, Lawrence! We’re watching this. The little dude’s got her down on the grass!” Sparky declared with glee as he snapped his fingers. “I told you he would win!”

“Wait!” Oz pointed a finger at Sparky. “You just hold on a minute!”

There was a low boom and The Mary popped into the room. “So guys…whatcha doin’?”

Lawrence squawked and put his head under his wing.

“Hiding, Lawrence? Just remember, I could have changed you into a hamster. Then you could keep Rinalda company.”

Lawrence lifted his head as he stared at The Mary speculatively. Rinalda hadn’t looked half bad in that push up bra. Six cups all brimming with…

“See! I told you!” The Oz shouted excitedly. “She’s got him down!”

They peered intently into the ball. “What’s the old dude doing?” Sparky asked in puzzlement.

The Oz squinted. “I don’t know. What’s his head doing down there?” Then she gasped in dismay. “He’s got the piercing needle!”

“No!” Sparky suddenly felt faint. As they watched, Zoltan handed Dai three golden rings. Sparky moaned.

“Shut up, Sparky! I want to see this!” The Oz declared impatiently. “You act like you’ve never seen anyone pierced before! They’re just quills for crying out loud!”

“No, Oz. Look,” Sparky whispered. “She’s turning blue.”

“Emmeline? No!”

“You owe me a hundred bucks, Oz.”

Well, it's Saturday so take time to check out Amarinda's Saturday wisdom at http://www.amarindajones.blogspot.com/ and then hop over to Kelly's Place to see what she's up to at http://www.kkirch.blogspot.com/ Blessings on your day!