July 26, 2025
My mom usually has a few hard boiled eggs on hand in the fridge. She has a fun custom of writing ‘eggisms.’ Little phrases or drawings on the hard boiled eggs. The eggisms are multi-purpose- They denote that those eggs are fully cooked, unfertilized chicken embryos and they make you smile a little bit.
A few years ago, my grandfather was over at our house when my mom finished a batch of eggs and needed to write some eggisms. We all took a couple, not really paying much heedance to the phrase. I liked drawing little faces when I was tasked with an eggism.
That day, my grandfather wrote “The grass is NOT always greener on the other side.” Exactly like that. I remember looking over his shoulder and thinking, ‘Jesus, dude. That’s a bit heavy for an eggism.”
Being an adolescent, I didn’t have the confidence or maturity to ask him what he meant or why he wrote that. But as you might be able to guess, I’ve thought about that more than a few times.
Life is so circumstantial. Trying to decide if the grass is greener varies hugely on the subject. Small stuff? Yeah, the grass is often greener. The gas station doesn’t have your normal brand of gum? Turns out you like cinnamon flavor gum. Big stuff? You should really take your time to consider.
A person’s definition of ‘big stuff’ will vary. But I’d imagine it’s some form of personal relationships and work. That’s where a lot of our attention is paid.
I read and hear more about someone that was unsatisfied with their plot in life leaving for greener pastures than the opposite. It’s a good story line. A Hollywood movie script. But perhaps we would be better served it we placed more of an emphasis or appreciate towards maintaining our current pasture.
I still don’t know what my grandfather meant by writing that eggism. I don’t think it’s worth finding out the exact answer. But it serves as a reminder that you would be a fool to jump the fence, leaving behind certain people or things.
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