Looking out the window of the  man cave I watch the donkeys feeding in our side field. They are either standing laying down or eating so this is not out of their comfort zone. Then I notice one standing a bit down the fence row with his head through the fence. Well you know the old saying” the grass is always greener on the other side”. Then I realize this is true in this case and make a note to mow the yard soon. It has been two weeks since I have mowed and it is getting high enough now I may lose my corgi in the jungle like grass if it is not done soon. Sigh….

Through my little protest against gas prices being held at a inflated price right before and through a national holiday weekend I learn something else.  No matter what or why  the grass does always seem greener on the other side of the fence. For example I am an underemployed American so any work is better than no work right? Not so says the underemployed one, not so. I still want to pick and choose what I do. If I had a job that paid x-amount of dollars it would be better than what I am doing. Or if I had this benefits or that benefit man that great. Then I am sure I would complain that the job is this not that and doesn’t meet my expectations. And the list of comparisons and gripes go on and on and  gratitude goes out the window or over the fence to greener pastures.

Why is the grass greener on the other side for me? It is the lack of an attitude of gratitude and wanting to be happy instead of  resting in peace of contentment.I really have struggled with being thankful and finding  contentment during this season of my life. Thankfulness always seems to have a “but” attached to it: I have work today but man I wish it wasn’t this or that (fill in person complaint or whine here).  Contentment is on the other hand is not something the average person strives for.

I think contentment is an area of our lives that needs filled. I feel we have a piece of a puzzle and a place for it but we just unaware that place is there. For those who recognize contentment as a state of being there is a few problems with pursuit or acceptance of it. I feel the root problem with contentment is people see it as dumbing their dreams and goals down. They see it as lowering their expectations. I  see it as a wedge between what we want, what we need and what we really should be.

Over this season of my life I have come to see it as something more than human fulfillment and meeting my wants: I see it’s a state of living in faith and safe harbor during life’s storms. Yes I said during life’s storms because they do and will continue to come. We can run after something and not see the clouds or choose to ignore them but they always come.And when they do come and when I find shelter from the storm I don’t care about the other side of the fence. And that is something worth being thankful for.