Is Proverbial Wisdom Holding You Back?

 The grass is greener on the other side.

 

Proverbs are meant to impart valuable lessons aimed at two major points. Firstly, to avoid mistakes. A mistake is a setback and often causes turbulence in the straight line of our daily routine or the larger way of life; the lesser the turbulences, the smoother our life experience will be. Secondly, the proverbs also aim to pass age-old wisdom to all humans and the next generation so we as a species learn together.

‘Stretch your legs according to the coverlet’; ‘Grass is always greener on the other side’.

If we follow these proverbs would it mean that we will know our limits and act accordingly, or that we know that what we do not possess is often more enticing. It would also mean that we would remain in the confines of our thoughts.

Breach those walls, if you think the grass is greener on the other side, build bridges and walk over to the other side. If you do not like it you can always come back, or you can chart a path to where the grass is known to be the greenest.

If your legs stretch beyond the coverlet it is high time to motivate yourself and take steps that eventually lead to securing a big enough coverlet or two if you are preparing for a rainy day or the family of members under your support!

By now you may be thinking that this blog is aimed at countering age-old pearls of wisdom then? The answer is as hidden in plain sight as the meaning behind these proverbs.

For young individuals who have newly set foot on their journey of career, education, and learning how to be a provider in the future when they begin their own family, using proverbs to limit their capacities would be not only harshly unfair to them but would also damage their aspirations and their zeal to undertake any mammoth task.

On the other hand, if an individual who is well beyond the peaks of his career, has achieved everything he set his eyes on and then perhaps is still planning to chug uphill… then maybe then for such cases, it may be wise to remind them that there are other things in life which bring happiness and that they already possess them. To remind them that they have already done all they should have done and now they should stretch their legs of ambition only according to the coverlet of necessity.

So the when and how of the proverbs is paramount to its utility value in human life.

So, are you going to the greener side?