As Canadians, it is a requirement of citizenship to regularly vocalize our dissatisfaction with current weather conditions.
During a punishingly hot summer month, we pine for the comfort and relief of cooler weather, then, in the cold wet months, we travel across continents on airplanes, packed like sardines in an aluminum can, to squint and sweat in the sun.
For most of this summer, the grass has not been greener on either side of the fence. In fact, it is more the colour of yellowish straw and sitting dangerously on the edge of combustion. The grass on the ground has been as dry as a sun-bleached bone.
However, the expression, “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence,” is often used to describe our impulse to want things just outside our reach. Always feeling unsatisfied, like having a thirst that can never be quite quenched, can be an uncomfortable state of mind and, potentially, an unhealthy and self-defeating thought pattern.
Is feeling a constant, insatiable need an unavoidable aspect of human nature or can we consciously influence the feeling and replace it with a more positive one?
A couple thousand years ago, Roman poet Ovid wrote, “The harvest is always more fruitful in another man’s field.” Always wanting more is definitely not completely exclusive to our current hyper-consumer and high-tech reality.
Although it might not be totally unique to current culture, things have definitely intensified since Ovid wrote poetry for his audience of fellow Romans. The omnipresent nature of corporate advertisement has made everywhere we look a constant multisensory reminder that there are more things to desire and people to envy.
Partially, there is a human instinct to want things continuously better from generation to generation. Reproduction is about getting our genes into the next generation safely and securely. But, as an example, turning life-sustaining water into a salable commodity for profit cannot be explained by evolutionary biology.
There must be ways to have more control over feelings of constant discontentment.
One of the core teachings of Buddhism is that we suffer mostly because of unchecked personal craving and desire. Most of us do not have enough time in the day to meditate our way out of feeling envy or desire, but I have found just being aware of this belief is a step in the right direction.
Like self-awareness of destructive and life-threatening behaviours and thoughts with serious addiction, simple and non-critical awareness could be the first step to attaining control over negative feelings related to insatiable wants.
Also, gratitude can help refocus our thoughts for the things we have in our lives instead of what we perceive to be lacking. It’s easier said than done, for sure.
Eventually, it rains and the grass on both sides of the fence turns lush green and starts to grow annoyingly fast. Until then, we can put on a big hat, lots of sunblock and appreciate how not having to cut the dehydrated lawn provides more time to enjoy the sunny moment.
Robert Skender is a Powell River freelance writer and health commentator.
