Purposely Perfect Where We Are

Some say, “The grass is greener on the other side.”

We live in a world of comparison. Every day we compare ourselves to others, their cars, their wedding rings (and our bare ring finger). Television tells us to not only compare but to update, to dispose of what we have for an even better version of something we didn’t need to begin with.

I’ve heard the phrase “We take us with us.” We think that if we just change jobs, houses, spouses, Starbucks locations, that everything will change. Things will get better if we just upgrade life. But the fact remains that we take “us” with us. Who we are drags around wherever we go. Our attitude, failures, successes, frustrations, emotions....

Perhaps it’s not our situation that’s bad, but it’s “us.” Perhaps it’s an attitude, emotion, sin, frustration that is making our situation bad. I’ve seen it happen. I’ve experienced it myself. Situations where people have jumped the fence to the where they thought grass would be greener. And then when they got there, “themselves” got in the way again. While I know that sometimes the situation isn’t us and jumping the fence does make sense, I think there is a better phrase to remember...

I say...“The grass is greener where it’s watered.”

That’s a phrase I try to remember everyday. It’s about perspective. But sometimes even the watered side can still have dry spots and weeds. Some patches of the grass are soaking wet, others are flourishing and growing, while the dry parts still beg your attention. It’s the dry parts that I tend to focus on first and that make me look over the fence to better grass. I wonder why it’s the dry spots aren’t growing, I soak it in water until my bucket is empty. And yet it still remains dry. And as soon as I’m ready to give up on the dry spot, new growth pops up and I become content again.

While a dandelion is a weed, I joke and say it’s my favorite flower. It’s true. I love dandelions. It takes me back to my childhood when I would sit in the grass and pick dozens of them. My friends and I would pop the tops off of the “flowers” and sometimes we would rub the dandelions on our skin and it would leave a yellow residue. Mostly I liked how they would pop up in a day’s time in a random pattern. Looking out at the grassy yard, my eyes would always focus on the dandelions...my personal flower. There was something that drew me in. While I knew they weren’t supposed to be there, I thought they were beautiful and purposely perfect where they were.

I’m learning to embrace the dandelions in my life. I’m learning to see the beauty and the frustration they cause. I’m learning to look out and find new ways to include them in my grassy landscape. I’m learning to think they belong. I’m learning that these weeds are a part of the process, are a part of recognizing that something needs attention. I look for the dandelions.

And so I will listen and look for the purposely perfect dandelions to pop up. And when they do I will find a way to embrace them..... and then pop their little heads off and move on.