Skip to main content

BLUER??...... GREENER??

Yesterday morning, I was watching a programme on Disney Junior channel with my twenty-month old son, Ikem, when the theme song came on during a break. I sang along with them while Ikem danced. (Yes, I'm a mother so I watch that channel and I know all the songs too. Well, when I don't exactly know the words, I act as back-up singer to my three-year old daughter, Nwando.)
At a point, though, the words of the first line suddenly struck me as ridiculous. I found it really amusing too.

I'm going where the sky is bluer

I understood perfectly, how beautifully that line fits in the song.  It's a part of a lovely song that highlights all the beautiful things about the channel. It is also, very perfect and appropriate for their target audience... Individuals a LOT younger than me :)

However, I thought it was ridiculous for an adult to hold on to the belief that the sky is bluer in some places, since it's the same sky everywhere after all.
Then, I remembered that sometimes, the sky does seem bluer than other times. Sometimes, its appearance also changes when we move from place to place. Point A may have had clear, blue sky while point B has dark clouds for a sky.
That may quickly get reversed too.
So, the sky's appearance at a particular place is neither always blue nor is it always grey.

I also remembered a saying with a similar meaning.

The grass is greener on the other side.

That neighbour with a greener lawn definitely pays higher water bills. Can you handle that?
And while you're busy wishing you had his lawn, he's busy wishing those four, noisy (your opinion), beautiful (his opinion) children of yours were his.
You see, they've been married for three years and it's been finally discovered that he and his young wife would never have children of their own.
It had been discovered, just after their wedding, that she had cervical cancer. So, she had undergone radiotherapy which had rendered her infertile.
You didn't know that, did you?
The cancer is in remission but, they live in fear that it may come back, suddenly.

Your neighbour on the other side has greener grass too.
"Why am I the only one whose lawn just never looks nice?" you grumble to yourself.
Do you know that she doesn't think about her lawn, ever?
She has people that worry about mundane stuff like that for her. That’s annoying, right? She just has it all!
However, that useless (that's you again) husband of yours would be to her, a dream come true.
You see, she's been praying since she turned thirty for a man of her own. She's wanted to get married and start a family for so many years now.
She's thirty-eight and she's still praying.
She wishes every night that she had someone to hold her, after a busy day at the office.
You were too busy thinking about her lawn that you didn't notice your husband's face fall as you brushed his arms off.
Don't forget, she would do anything to have him... Anything at all.
She would even give you her lawn.

Your best friend lives on the other side of town. Her neighbourhood is so lovely and her home, really beautiful.
You don't like that you don't live there.
But, you know that you can't afford the price of real estate there.
Somehow, anytime you visit her, the weather seems so perfect. The sky seems so blue too.
She lives near the water and it's so beautiful and very calming to look at. From her wide windows, you can see the waves roll and then, crash on a beautiful beach.
There's no noise and you can even hear the birds sing.
Do you know that in a few days, that sky would turn very grey and the rain will fall? Those waves would become very turbulent. The water wouldn't be beautiful, anymore. There would be an angry storm and that water would overflow its banks.
She would lose her home and her family would barely escape with their lives.
In a few days, she would regret that she lived where the sky was bluer.

Aha! Back in your neighbourhood, do you remember that lady that lives opposite you? The one that makes you wish your husband wasn't lazy?
After all, it's his laziness that makes your lawn look so dry and brown.
You're rolling your eyes now, right?
It irks you a lot that besides her green lawn, her husband just got her a late model luxury car.
Why do you have to drive around in that rickety car, anyway?
Can't that husband of yours be like other men?
Well, did you know that her husband also got the same car AND a pair of diamond earrings for his pregnant girlfriend?
It would just kill you if you were his wife, right? Then, thank God it's not you.

No matter where the sky seems bluer, that's not a permanent thing.

Neither is a grey sky permanent. After the storm, those dark clouds will disappear and the sky would be blue again.
That's the same way an impending storm would cause a blue sky to turn grey.

So it is, for that green lawn.
Sometimes, all you need do is water your own lawn a little bit more, bearing in mind that you have to pay more for water.
Other times, all you need do is just close your eyes to that dry and brown grass and just count your other blessings

Someone would always be smarter.
Someone would always be funnier.
Someone's belly would always be flatter even after having babies.
Someone would always look better in those skinny jeans.
Someone's husband would always look closer to Denzel than yours.
Someone's children would always be better behaved than yours.
Someone would always have a better paying and more satisfying job.
Someone's grass would always be greener and someone's sky would always be bluer.
And for someone else, you are that someone.

No matter where you are and no matter what you go through, learn to close your eyes to all that you think you lack and simply appreciate what you do have.
When you do that often enough, you will come to realize that most of your fears do not look so big anymore.
Trust me, it works :) 

Comments

  1. Anonymous6:42 pm

    We shld be satisfied in what we have! Contentment is the Key word!

    ReplyDelete
  2. nwunye arinze7:08 pm

    I feel soo ashamed and teary cos urs truly is soooo guilty......in fact I'm so ashamed at how ungrateful I can be most of the time.......cos I have soo much to be thankful for...a wonderful husband that loves me to bits,2 wonderful adorable kids et al.....and above all the love and peace I've found in Jesus Christ.
    Olaedo this one really hit home.....thanks sweets....nice one

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anonymous7:25 pm

    Ola, been a staunch follower of your blog. You write beautifully well. And this piece is just WICKED. Bless.

    ReplyDelete
  4. We must learn to always count our blessings coz they are so easy to be taken for granted.contentment is a gift from God,let's always ask for it.well done òla.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Ngoo2kii7:49 pm

    Looool @ background singer...reminds me of ma barney days! I am always beyond grateful for my blessings,couldnt hv asked for another! Thanx girl for this lovely write up!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. JennyE8:03 pm

    Reality check 101.
    Really nice one as usual. This one struck home!
    U never know when u slip into discontent and ingratitude.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Aijay8:04 pm

    I am convinced God loves me cos this afternoon, I was just whingeing to my Sis about a thing or two and she reiterated things I already know and now this! Very well said...Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  8. Anonymous10:00 pm

    Well done ola, nice one. I believe dis serves as a learning point to all, we must all be thankful and grateful at all times no matter the situation. God made us special in so many ways and is at our discretion to determine wot to make out of it. We must b satisfied at all times. Beautiful ola, u r d best. . . Cheers girl

    ReplyDelete
  9. Anonymous10:14 pm

    Hi ola, I love dis piece and can't wait to  the next write up. U r really blessed dear. I think in everything, we all need to b grateful and thankful especially wen someone has sacrified a little just to make u happy. We all must learn from dis beautiful idea. Cheers girl

    ReplyDelete
  10. Nice one girl, u r too much .keep it up u make my day bluer each time I  a new post. Well done babe

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yennie6:24 am

    Bluer or greener I wouldn't trade places.Taking time out to count our blessings,contentment & trust in God makes a lot of difference in our perception of what we have & should have.Thank you Jesus for all you have given me.
    Lovely piece Ola!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Sugar9:35 am

    I wouldnt trade my life for any bluer sky or greener grass, cos im where God wants me to be: to be d mother of my 3 beautiful boys and sugar to my wonderful hubby. Ola u hv said it all; we should forever be thankful for our blessings *hugs*

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ekebere Chinenye9:58 am

    With this, it is reconciliation time with God,telling him am really for being ungrateful.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hhhhmm Ola yet another good one with some home truth to note. Because to some one else ur that someone. So peeps look around you always many things to be grateful to God about. Even if its down to health and life. Cos then you have hope to cling onto. For where there is life there is hope. We will all there there someday. For me am there already and still counting. My sky is bluer n my lawn greener and am so grateful to God for my life. No regrets whatsoever. Thank you God for all our blessings and more coming.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anon 18:42; You're right. Contentment is the word.

    Nwunye Arinze; Thanks, love. You know that peace and love you've found in Jesus Christ? That's your trump card, right there.

    Anon 19:25; Thanks for reading and enjoying my work. I truly appreciate it. God bless you too!

    Ella; Thank you, darling. You hit the nail on the head, alright. I'm counting away, right now.

    Ng; I'm still in the Barney years o... Rocking and rolling to all those songs ;)
    About those blessings, keep counting, jare.

    Jenny; You're welcome, dear. Reality check 101 for me, too.

    Aijay; Yes, He does, sweetie. You're welcome, too.

    Anon 22:00; Thank you! You know what? As I was writing this, it served as a reminder to me too to always appreciate all my blessings.

    Anon 22:14; Thank you. Pressure, pressure :)........I hope I don't disappoint with the next.

    Ogedi; Thanks, dear. So ℓσℓ @ making your days bluer. God bless you!

    Yennie; Thank you, darling. You have taught me a thing or two about counting blessings and for that, I'm grateful. God bless you, sweetie.

    Sugar; Those boys of yours (all four of them ;) ) are gorgeous. What's not to count? And, why would you even trade places? You're blessed, girl! *hugging you right back*

    Chinenye; That's great news, coz. He listens and He forgives. *Hugging you right now*

    Jbabe; You're so right. Life is the most important blessing of all 'cos only when we have it can we look forward to the good things in life. Thanks, sis.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ogonnaya7:51 pm

    Olaedo you do blow me away with your style of writing...very simple but full of wisdom and life reminders.
    we are so busy a lotta times looking for stuff we think would make our lives better and forget the little blessings God has bestowed upon us...and those are the ones that really matter. Thanks for this wake up call

    ReplyDelete
  17. You're welcome, Ogo. This serves as a reminder to me too. Gotta apprecate those 'little' stuff 'cos most times, they are what really matter.

    ReplyDelete
  18. #singing* Where the magic begins...
    i have nieces who force me to watch and i find them amusing

    As for the Bluer grass...i agree, contentment is the most important thing. Who knows if a dead body serves as manure in the greener garden

    ReplyDelete
  19. Toinlicious; You're a Disney Junior fan too? Yay!!! Another thing we have in common besides Desperate Housewives.

    Hmmm, you may be right o.. A dead body could just be the manure. Lol! That's a very interesting take on it.

    ReplyDelete
  20. This is such a powerful post, thanks for sharing.

    Indeed, when we think the grass is greener and the sky is bluer, we really should remember that even the grass can wither (very fast with burning) and the sky can become black (with a storm)

    Besides, the Disney song says it all..."I'm going where the sky is bluer, I'm going where the MAGIC begins...

    ReplyDelete
  21. You're welcome, Ema. You're right too... Nothing real about a bluer sky; can only be magic ;)

    ReplyDelete
  22. Achykes4:46 pm

    Beautiful write up my dear friend Ola, even the bible says".....Godliness with contentment is great gain....." In life we humans have a very great tendency of overlooking the little mundane things that truely matters and taking for granted the blessings that come our way in life. I describe opportunity as a ball headed man with lots of hair in front, while he is with you grab unto the hair in front cos once he passes you by you will not be able to hold on to the ball part......lesson: appreciate and make the best use of what god has given you....Be content. Good job Ola dear...

    ReplyDelete
  23. Achykes; That's interesting definition of opportunity. I like :) Thanks, sweetie.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Anonymous10:34 pm

    I love message your write up sprinkles; i really wishing can make my wife red this and pray it sinks in well! Thanks Ola!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anon 22:34; You're welcome :) Feel free to share with the wifey ;)

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous7:21 am

    I love the message you are sending out. I do want to throw this in here though. The sky does in fact change color depending on Latitude, and is a brighter blue in rural areas versus cities. I have lived all over the country, and have found that where I live now the sky is the bluest I have ever seen. A bright cerulean with a hue of purple in summer, and it turns almost white in paleness in winter. So while the message is beautiful, there is fact based information that shows that there is cause for the idea.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anon 07:21; Thanks a lot for the compliment and your educative comment. I have something to add to it, though.

    The colour of the sky where you live might be the bluest you've ever seen, but by your own admission, it doesn't always stay that way... a hue of purple in summer and almost white in winter :)

    I bet that dark clouds due to impending rain would change that,just as the different seasons would.

    My point is that the blue sky, just as any condition, is never permanent. The sky may be blue, more often than not, but change, it must.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment