Envy Of Another Is Disrespect For Ourselves

Why live a life of envy?

Why do we think another life is that much better than ours?

Possessions, attractive wife, nice job and car, holidays, swimming pool in the garden. Does that make them better (or worse) than us?

How can it manifest?

• covetousness
• spite
• hatred
• resentment
• jealousy
• bitterness
• malice
• ill will

And how do we feel about this? We can covet and desire, crave and yearn for, aspire to and hanker after. All manifestations of one 'small' little thing.

Then life comes along . . .

Life comes each day and challenges us. Presents us with opportunities and possibilities, but also challenges, hurdles and obstacles.

Where does our 'they are doing better/they have more than us/ they are more capable than me' attitude fit into things?

I guess it is a good way of hiding our head (heart and spirit) in the sands of life. What an excuse for inaction - I could never do what they do or achieve what they have achieved.

To be jealous of another person, or what another has (possessions), is maybe commonplace but that does not make it a good quality or feeling to have. Does it not show that we are somehow unhappy with our lot?

It is different to admire and appreciate another but to covet another's wealth or position or good looks or whatever - what does that say about us?

We should be trying our hardest to put an end to these proceedings. Can we not see that they are not only not fruitful, but that they hold us back?

They help to suppress our true selves, our true nature. Suppress our very being in a fog and mist of our own making, but from which we feel we cannot escape.

It may come down to the fact that we don't accept ourselves, we don't feel we are worthy - and hence we adopt this 'stay at home away from the action' mode which appears comfortable.

Friends try to help us to snap out of this but we are happy and content, comfortable within our little zone of 'usness'. Happy with our small and decreasing lot.

But that is not really life. We have had better times. Had a taste of the good life and the feeling that there is more to life in so many things.

And life wants us to experience more and gives us opportunities to take a leap of faith and find out what we can really do for ourselves.

The sad thing is that some others probably envy our lot if only we knew. But why don't we take a chance, accept the challenge of one of these offers life sends our way.

And take that first step, remove envy from your life, and see what happens . . .

(and wait to be surprised)

At times like this you can be tested - that is what envy can do to you.