The glorious green grass on the other side of the fence is usually Astroturf.

Yet our hearts long for the lush pastures over yonder.

A lamb in a book I’m reading frequently wandered to where she believed the sunrays of heaven kissed the tender young grass.

Her own shepherd’s picturesque landscape contained the purest, most desirable patches of countryside for miles upon miles.

Yet still, deep within her heart this lamb longed for something better.

Always seeking, contentment remained elusive for this wandering ewe.

The well-loved animal sulked for a rich life in a land far away. She knew with all of her being that life elsewhere provided the warmth and comfort she always dreamed of.

She continually escaped to the other side, but never found what her heart so desperately longed for.

The ventures of the discontented creature resulted in more work for her shepherd. He repeatedly found her hungry, severely dehydrated and sometimes full of cuts and scrapes.

But the precious creature never learned.

The shepherd attempted to keep her in her own rolling green landscape, well suited for sheep. He repaired fences and constantly secured openings to contain the traveler.

Yet nothing stopped this sheep.

Eventually she birthed little lambs and not surprisingly, they grew into fluffy, cotton ball-like escape artists.

The mom, her babies and other followers of the flock travelled behind this unhappy wanderer who led the others toward cliffs and into dangerous territory.

This animal caused the shepherd countless hours of work, heartache and expense.

We all, in many ways, experience envy and jealousy that sets us up for wandering.

We desire something better.

Sometime we don’t even truly know what our hearts desire.

But other times we feel convinced we would be happy if only…

When I have that degree, or that house, or that child, or that car, or that wealth, or wear that size of jeans, then I’ll be content.

Not a moment sooner.

We see other people have what we think we want.

Often it’s in the sea of social media. No wonder Facebook is sometimes called Fakebook.

The dreamy mirage of the ”If onlys.”

The heart of the wanderer continues to dream of a land far away, or a land next door, or a pasture with lusher, greener grass.

Our wandering hearts forget they need nothing.

Absolutely, miraculously, nothing.~