Is The Grass Always Greener?

"The grass is always greener" - right?  That is what they say anyway.  Tonight, Scott and I sat in the lovely open kitchen of our friends' lake house in Michigan and talked with them about life on our boat.  A life that is rich in so many things; but a life without AC, microwaves, refrigeration, television, dishwashers, washer/dryers and so many other "modern day" conveniences that we have relished while we've been home.  For the most part I believe that living without these things actually enhances our lives, but there are moments where we just bask in their convenience. "Look honey, my glass is sweating because there is so much ice in it!! Ha!!"... Living without makes you appreciate living "with" that much more.  And here we are, reveling in queen sized beds with feather tops, air conditioning in every building we go into, a car at our disposal, dishwashers, free laundry...ICE!  I mean, it's all so wonderful.

And then we started laughing.  Because, really, none of those things are all that great.  I mean, not much more than a year ago all of those modern conveniences were our reality and we took them for granted almost every single day.  But now, they are luxuries.  Pure, unadulterated luxuries.  It's funny how we need to juxtapose one thing to really be able to appreciate another.  It's unfortunately way too easy to take such simple things for granted.  It's so easy to forget how good we have it until it's gone...If you've suffered a power outage recently or taken the kids for the weekend while your wife is away you know exactly what I am talking about.

It's all about perspective.  It's all about experience.  We as humans are so easily desensitized to things that others would call miraculous.  You long for a life on a boat in the Caribbean, and we long to lounge for an afternoon on a king-sized bed in an air conditioned hotel room with crisp white sheets where we can watch television all day long*.  Oh the irony!

I believe the true quote is: "The grass may be greener on the other side, but you still have to mow it!"

“We tend to forget that happiness doesn't come as a result of getting something we don't have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

At the end of the day, however, even though we wake up sweaty, don't have ice in our drinks and wash our dishes in salt water - we still live on a boat in the Caribbean, and we can always appreciate that!

Happy Friday friends!

Love,

Brittany & Scott

* That is seriously what we daydream about when we are really, really hot and uncomfortable.