A simple seeker was admiring, in her mind (but where else could she admire anything?), a beautiful pink rose that someone had generously shared on Twitter. But, as beautiful as the flower was, something else was going on. Envy was slipping into the picture.
“What’s wrong with envy?”
“I want to be able to appreciate the skills of others without always wishing that I also possessed them.”
“Do you envy everyone’s skills?”
“No, just those that I wish I also possessed.”
“Why don’t you possess the skills you admire?”
“Some people have more natural talent than do some others.”
“Some people may be unaware of what so-called natural talents they do possess.”
“It isn’t possible for me to develop all of the talents that I admire in other people.”
“Have you tried?”
“There would never be enough time for that, and ..”
“Yes. It would pull you away from what you are now doing well, or might, with a little more effort.”
“How would that protect me from envy?”
“Nothing can protect you from envy.”
“Why?”
“Envy in its the most sincere form is a recognition of, and an inspiration toward, excellence.. We each, at least to some extent, aspire toward higher levels of personal skills. Envy is seeing in others what we want for ourselves. It can encourage us.”
“Or discourage us?”
“No. An unhealthy mind would feel resentment, not discouragement.”
“How can we know the difference?”
“Experience teaches us. We know because we’ve experienced it, if we have.”
“And, if we haven’t?”
“Then we will, sooner or later.”
…….
A simple seeker’s note to herself
If experience is as a teacher, then what did my envy of the beautiful rose teach me?
“Perhaps you learned that we can’t have it both ways. You may have wished that you could provide roses with what they need plenty of, sunshine. And yet, you seem to feel more comfortable in shade.”
“Yes. even my little garden areas are too shady for roses to survive in, let alone thrive in.”
“We need to learn to accept what is, and what is not, possible with what we have. But, we can admire, and even envy, what others have, without wishing to change our life situation with theirs.”
“Yes, I very much enjoy my little shady patio, and even my small and shady garden areas. I’d like more sunlight for them, and yet the trees are so beautiful. Perhaps I need to learn to appreciate more than I do, what I have. My plants do their best to adapt to what I can offer them. Let others grow roses, and I’ll try to admire them without feeling too envious.”
“A good idea.”
…………..
Simple Seekers 