The House with the Golden Windows

I remember my mother telling me this story when I was young and it has stayed with me.

There was a young woman who lived in a comfortable house. There was spotty green grass, the gate was a little wobbly on the hinges, but it was a comfortable, tidy house where sometimes she laughed.

Every morning as the young woman looked across the valley she could see a beautiful house with golden windows at the top of the hill. Every day she thought of that house with the golden windows. She wondered how lovely it would be to live in such a beautiful house. She was sure the gate would not wobble and that the grass must be like a smooth blanket. She thought of the fragrant flowers that must bloom at such a beautiful house and how happy the people must be that lived there.

One day the young woman decided to venture out to visit the house with the golden windows on the other side of the valley. All day she trudged along thinking of the glorious and happy people who must live in the wonderful house with the golden windows. Finally at the end of the day, towards evening time she finally arrived at the house on top of the hill across the valley.

When she reached for the gate it wobbled in her hand. Toys littered the patchy grass and the windows no longer looked golden. She could hear the dog barking and children crying. She looked around to be sure she had come to the right place and there across the valley she could see golden windows--What was this?? At closer inspection she realized that the house she now saw with the golden window's was her own comfortable little house on the opposite hill.

How many times do we think that life would be better if only...when we finally....once....after...

Sometimes life really is best right where we are. All we need to do is realize that with an attitude adjustment we could be enjoying a happy life in the house with the golden windows every day.