The Grass is Always Greener?

Last night I went to a school friend's 30th birthday party in Angel. It didn't get off to the best start, given that the night before I'd had a bit of a shocker, missed the last tube home, stayed in Stoke Newington (more on that later) and had all but no sleep. My best friend was feeling much the same, but after a couple of glasses of fortifying red we were back on reasonable enough form to head out. We arrived at the pub around half nine, and I was immediately struck by a feeling of dread; everyone (and I mean everyone) was there with a boyfriend, a girlfriend, a fiance or a spouse. The conversations all seemed to revolve around weddings, honeymoons and mortgages; in short, I felt like a fish out of water. What made it all the more weird was my first ever boyfriend being there with his wife (the friend whose birthday it was is marrying his best friend - thye met completely randomly. Small world), although I was pleased to spend some time with her as I realised she's a lot nicer than I originally thought.

Anyway, my point in bringing up the couples club is that whilst I was initially struck by a feeling of dread, perhaps bordering slightly on sadness that I wasn't part of it myself, I soon realised in talking to people that the old adage 'the grass is always greener' is absolutely true. Everyone I spoke to seemed insanely jealous of my forthcoming travels and resentful of the things that were tying them down, like jobs and mortgages, which meant that they themselves couldn't just take off and do the same. I suppose its just part of the human condition to never be happy with our lot; in this modern age we have more disposable income than ever before, the world is at our finger tips and anything is possible, but the product of all this endless possibility is that whatever option we pursue, we're always wondering what it would have been like to pursue a different one.

On that last profound comment I shall take my leave; it's Saturday night and I've got places to be!