The Grass is Always Greener Until You Move There

I have always been able to find something positive and negative about where I have lived

This photograph was taken by the author

I have lived in six different states as an adult. Except for one relocation to Texas ( I will get to that later), I always had some element of excitement and optimism. Inevitably, reality arrives months or years after a move, and the “grass no longer appeared so green.” What I learned is that every location, and every stage, during our lives always comes at some cost. There are no Utopias, and paradise resides mostly in our minds. Whether we choose to be happy or sad ultimately determines how we live our lives. It is how we find gratitude in our surroundings that matters the most.

Growing Up in Small Town America

Although I was born in New York City, my parents moved us 70 miles northwest of the city when I was four. Growing up in a small town in the Catskills had definite pluses and minuses. It was a safe environment. We often left our doors unlocked and the keys in the car. My parents even left gas station credit cards in the glove box, so if someone stole the car, they would also have gotten free gas.

I recall Boy Scout camping trips in the mountains and occasional snow on the ground after awakening in the morning when leaving the tent…