Green-eyed monster

Jealousy! It is something that everyone has experienced and allowed themselves to be consumed by once in a while (as if there was a choice!). Is there a choice?

I remember looking at my ‘best friend of the day’ in school. We had just got our results for the term. And obviously the one who ranks first is your best friend (in fact, is everybody’s best friend). I can remember being consumed with envy, seeing all the teachers ooh!-ing and aah!-ing at her. I wanted that praise. I don’t remember what I did to either get it or not. But, I can remember crying heaps and asking mom if 4th rank was terrible. But that was a long time ago.

And not so long ago, I went to this wedding. I was amazed with some people acting strange and out of character. Well, weddings are places where there are lots of opportunities to become jealous before even batting an eyelid. Somebody is jealous of the bride’s “good fortune” to be married into a rich family. Somebody is just jealous of another woman wearing the beautiful Kancheevaram silk saree. Jewels, cars, businesses, properties are all sized up and compared, not to mention, hair, eyes, nose, and other body parts even. But well everyone survives at the end of it.

In office, the increment day is a day filled with vibes flying out of control all over the place. You have to tread carefully, hide your envelopes and just pretend to not be happy about the increment if you got one or pretend to be normal if you didn't get one. Oh, and if you (the one who got the increment) do get caught by the others (who didn’t), God save you!

Grown-ups should know better about being jealous because it’s not right. It just plainly shows how ever much one tries to hide it. Its not harmful many-a-times (except when it is extreme psychopathic illness, like that Michael Douglas movie) to the object of jealousy, rather it consumes the subject and erodes the subject’s self-esteem, self-worth, confidence and peace. Sometimes just wallowing in self-pity, thinking we are not as good, rich, famous, in love, married, beautiful, handsome, intelligent, etc, as that other person is just enough to damage us. But, how about trying to be happy for the other person than being sad for oneself? Haha, it is like smiling with a bitter taste in your mouth, when all you want to do is gag!!

But, the other part of being jealous is that you feel sour about somebody or something, and you want it for yourselves too. So, it is such a good opportunity to realize what you want; like for example, you want to be the best employee and get recognition in office, you want a house in a certain location, you want to be the most-loved teacher in school, you want to get highest marks in the exam, etc. It puts certain things in perspective. That is why important people are recognized and honored, so that not only does it encourage the person, but motivates others too, to aspire to achieve.


When we can see what others have and know that it is good if we can do it too, we can work towards it. But if it is like a super huge diamond ring, which you can’t afford in a million years, you just have to be practical about it and wonder if it is worth it. Easier said than done, I know. Though it is hard work, we can all try and make our vices our strengths. What say?