Grass as a Metaphor

    Something predictable is happening to a bare patch on my lawn. Shoots of grass are sprouting with vigor on one half of the patch. (The right side in the photo.) The grass on the other half isn’t doing well. Bare spots remain. Grass is growing slowly.
    Why the difference?
    The unhealthy grass is over-exposed to sunshine, especially during this time of year when daylight lasts the longest. Too much sunshine dries the soil.
    The healthy grass is shielded by a bush. There, grass is exposed to fewer hours of sunshine. The soil retains moisture.
    We’re all like shoots of grass. Some of us achieve our potentials. Others fall short. What determines our prospects?
    The answer, in part, is the people we associate with. Do we spend too much time with people of bad character? If so, it’s like grass being overexposed to sunshine. We’re held back.
    Good people bring out the potential in us. Bad people inhibit us. To achieve our potentials, we should consider the people we hang out with.