Sometime in the 1990s, I found myself in Melbourne, Australia. It was one of the most liveable cities in the world then. I was young and impressionable, and I fell in love with it for everything it offered — fashion, food,art, music, books, festivals, weather, the Great Ocean Road,Grampians National Park, everything.

 

And so one day, I found myself in a music store looking at some new gadgets and admiring a huge range of locally-crafted acoustic and electric guitars. I asked about several of them and discovered that the salesperson was extremely knowledgeable. He not only knew each item but also how to use it —he was a very talented musician who could make each instrument come alive!

Awed by him and the barrage of contrasts I had been making between Australia and Singapore, I mentioned how this place had to have so many opportunities to learn,grow and develop for him to be this knowledgeable. At which point, he turned to look and me and said, “Y’ know mate, people always say the grass is greener on the other side, but the grass is only green where you water it.”

It was a simple wisdom, and not a new one, but coming from this guy, it somehow hit me like a ton of bricks. I felt my worldview shift.

Yes! It is where you water that matters! That takes effort,so don’t get lazy or discontented if you want something or yourself to grow. It isn’t just about learning how gadgets or instruments work, or how to be a better musician —you can “water” anything in life. The epiphany of that moment changed my attitude to relationships, family and work forever.
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