Twenty years ago when I left the Ireland, known as the Emerald Isle, I was looking for the place where the grass is greener. We all know that faraway hills are green, and back then I was searching for my greener pastures so I looked faraway. With a few detours, I arrived in Australia; the Sunburnt country, dry, arid and drought ridden, looking for prosperity. I was looking for the good life of beaches, yachts and barbeques. When I had left Ireland, in the days before Viagra and computer chips were the national exports. Before the Celtic Tiger and double digit economic growth, Irelands significant exports were its most highly educated and talented doctors scientists, engineers, artists and writers. There werent many greener pastures in Ireland back in the early 80s, before the Northern Irish Peace initiative and its attendant changes when Guinness was still marketed as the drink of choice of old men in the darkest corners of dark pubs. But in the arid country of Australia I came to, in the droughts and El Nino weather patterns; there were golden sporting heroes, golden beaches, golden sunshine, golden chardonnay and no one who knew me. So in this arid land my adopted home; I gradually learnt to plant seeds, I got a job, travelled, started my first, second and third businesses, continued to travel, made contacts and learned to network. I learned to sell and planted still more seeds. I continued to cultivate my skills, grow my knowledge and my network all the time planting seeds. Some of the seeds I planted over the years fell on desert sands and died, some fell on fertile ground and began to sprout. The tender young plants getting stronger and gradually the growth seemed to be independent of me, but still I worked at nurturing and tending - feeding and watering - what I had created. I tended to my business and slowly imperceptibly it took root, and grew. With continued careful nurturing, watering and care it flourished. It wasnt overnight. In many ways it crept up on me...I looked on the garden I had created, the fruit on the trees, the flowers blossoming and the lushest greenest of lawns, soft and spongy underfoot. I compare the lush and bountiful green I have created in this most arid of lands to the Emerald Isle I left 20 years ago, and I ask - So where is the grass greenest.? Simple really; The grass is greenest where you plant the seeds and where you water it. |
