Sunday, 13 May 2012 ~ THE VIEW; OTHER-SIDE, INSIDE-OUT OR OUTSIDE-IN

So let’s start with the grass.  After all, as with everything, grass is viewed.  Meaning it has to be seen.  I wonder how many of us remember that old American (yes, it would appear to stem from the United States circa 1957) proverb of discontent that states “the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence”?  What initially surprises me is that grass has probably been around since the year ‘dot’ and fences – of one sort or another – probably followed in short order; whether man made or animal made.  Yet this proverb is only a little bit older than humble me.

But I digress.  I am here to talk about views; from the outside-in, or the inside-out or even as viewed from the aforementioned other-side.

I was always happy with the view on my side (of the fence), but fell afoul of a clever seduction in recent history.  So, to quote another famous proverb… “Look before you leap”.

So, now that I have been ‘seduced’ to the other-side because the view from the outside, looking in, was enticing; I took my eye off the ball, by forgetting that the view on my side of the fence was perfectly fine.  Once I was inside, looking out, the view changed quite dramatically.  Here’s another one for you; “You can put lipstick on a pig, but it’s still a pig”.  Yes indeed, it is somewhat profound, I agree.  The point is, from the outside, looking in, my view was distorted by what I thought was a thing of beauty; I didn’t see the pig for the lipstick!  And for a while I couldn’t get that lipstick off my collar.

What I am talking about here is my work.  My career.  My livelihood.  However it could be your partner/soul-mate, your house, your car… anything.  With all of the due-diligence done, I was still taken for a fool.

Being the eternal optimist, I was able to overcome and then I simply moved on.  As it turns out, I am now more in control than I ever was, and better for it to boot.  So I give out many thanks to the pig!

Moral of this story?    Before you make a major decision, even after all of your due-diligence, try to dig deeper so that you can see the view from the inside-out before you actually venture in.