Greener Pastures

Imagine your a cow.

YES...I realize you are NOT a cow. Work with me...I'm creating an analogy.

So...we are pretending to be cows. I, myself, am going to be a Holstein. I think they are the cutest of cows and they are featured on Happy Cow commercials and I want to be a happy cow. The commercials claim that happy cows come from California which I think is bogus because I think Texas cows are VERY happy...but that's not the point.

We are cows. We wander around a field all day. We are average happy cows. We have had a few calves and we are settled into our farm routine and things have been rocking along for about 6 or 7 years. Long enough for the farmer to take our happy existance for granted...he long ago quit trying to make us happy. Long enough for us cows to forget how hard the farmer works to provide us food, shelter, and nice pasture.

Then one day...we notice something we hadn't noticed before. A fence.

A beautiful fence. And though we are drawn to the fence...it is the unknown on the other side of the fence that keeps us moving toward it. We have loved the farm and the farmer...but it's gotten boring and we feel unappreciated for all the work we do. The exciting possibilities on the other side of the fence seem so exciting. We should just peek.

And there it is.

It's more beautiful than anything you have ever seen. Much better than the farm you currently live at. And the farmer...well...let's just say he loves to make you happy. It's perfect. No more farmer taking you for granted...no more mundane existance on a seriously stale farm. Life on the other side of that fence has the potential to make us happier than we have ever been. Who cares if the other cows get upset...who cares if our farmer who has provided for us for the past 7 years gets angry...it's not our fault. The calves...they will get over it in time. They will LOVE the new barn AND the new farmer.

Who are we kidding ladies? Please excuse the fact that I just compared us to cows belonging to farmers. It was the best I could come up with. But this is the reality than many women face daily...greener pastures. And I am here to tell you...what we see on the other side of the fence is a facade...it's NOT real. It looks greener because we convince ourselves it is. The reality is that it's green for only a few feet...and then it turns desolate and dirty.

And when we realize the mistake...it's often too late. We turn to look back at the fence and long for the existance we had. Suddenly we're thrust into a world of insecurity...one where we must work doubletime to make ends meet...and in the land of single mother hood. Don't get me wrong...I am not dissing single moms. I've been one and though it is very fulfilling...it can be completely overwhelming.

I don't know what inspired me at 6 AM to write this blog...I am assuming someone needs to see it and I hope that I can convince you that peeking over the fence is a really bad idea. It seems exciting but a LOT of people are going to get hurt....your children included. I would love to pray for you, whoever you are...I've been in your shoes.

Happy Thursday friends...