Little Fires Everywhere: The Grass Ain’t Greener on the Other Side

By: Ke’Ana Lampkins 

If you’re like me you binged watched Hulu’s Little Fires Everywhere. As a huge Kerry Washington fan, it was exciting to watch her in another drama role. The miniseries came out the gate with drama. From the first to the last episode, every scene involved a political, social, or racial issue. Let’s dig deep together to analyze some of these important issues in a {potential} 6 part series analyzing the show.

The first topic of discussion: “The Grass isn’t always greener on the other side”. My  frustration with Pearl taking to Elena, professing numerous times, she felt Elena was a better mother than Mia because she made ensured her kids were happy. I won’t spoil the entire series for you, but if you watched you know all of the mistakes Elena made with her own children.

I remember as a kid comparing my own mother to my friends or cousin’s parents. It was always easier to look at what someone else’s parent were doing and wish your parents would do those things, simply out of ignorance and selfishness. When you’re a kid you don’t know any better. You don’t know all the sacrifices your parent might be making behind the scenes.

But this doesn’t only apply to being a child, this can also apply to all stages of our lives. With our jobs, our relationships, our families, our finances, even our children. It’s so easy to look through the lenses of someone else’s life and wish it was yours, not knowing the full image you don’t get to see. 

Think about social media, we post the best version of ourselves. We post about job promotions, our vacations, happy moments in our relationships, maybe even a cute picture of our kids. We aren’t posting when we lose our jobs or don’t get the position we were interviewing for. We don’t post our negative bank statements, or when we’re fighting with our significant other, and we don’t post when our child stays up until midnight and cries hysterically.

We show the world want we want to show them. To desire someone else’s life is, you don’t know there are things you don’t even know may exist in their world. So be grateful for yours. The good, the bad, and the ugly. The situations you encounter we’re designed with you in mind, look for the growth opportunities that can make you stronger. When you find yourself wishing for someone else life, remember you don’t have the whole picture. The grass will always look greener on the other side.

Ke’Ana Lampkins is a contributing writer for The Pedestal Project, LLC. Ke’Ana is a Christian, wife, and mother dedicated to empowering young girls and women through counseling, mentorship, and education. Connect with her on Instagram @Beautifully_Yanni.