Welcome back to day 5 of the A-Z Blog tour, 26 days of gratitude. E is for Envy, the Enemy of gratitude. My screaming little impetuous child self that has no sanity wants Everything, both what is mine and what belongs to Everyone Else. The root causes of this are many, but the most important one is a feeling that I lack something.These days (I am a student, not an Expert) I speak the mantra over and over again: I have Enough. I do Enough. I am Enough. When I forget this, I want more than what I have, and it's not about improving the world, it's about feeling I have to do something so I don't feel less than. I've talked before about the God-shaped hole in my soul that wants to be filled with anything: chocolate, stimulants, overspending, other vices that don't serve me well. When I remember I have Everything I really need, that hole becomes smaller, or temporarily goes away completely.
Envy makes it impossible to really enjoy another's success because we think we are more deserving than the person who has Earned it. Or, we justify why they have it and we don't. Again, this comes from a basic feeling of a lack of something.
But when I remember to be grateful for what I have received, knowing that I don't always receive what I want, but what I need, the whole world opens up to me. It lets me share in the enjoyment of others, and it brings more happiness, opportunities, and lights my path in serendipitous ways. Coincidence becomes miracle. The next right action becomes a career path, a trajectory where all the riches of life reside.
I'll close with one of my favorite songs: Everyone's a Hero in Their Own Way by Nathan Fillion (Richard Castle) from the Dr. Horrible movie. Enjoy, and have a wonderful Thursday, just because you deserve it...
Excellent! :-) Good reminder. When I feel like I'm not enough, it's difficult for me to give. Generosity becomes easy, when I feel I've more than enough.
ReplyDeleteWhen you think about it, we always have enough to give all the time. But yes, we forget. That's why I'm doing the 26 days here.
DeleteIf we only adopted this attitude en-masse the world could be much nicer place!
ReplyDeleteLoved the Nathan Fillion song - is that really him singing? (Will now have this image in my head for the next episode of 'Castle' ;-p)
Happy A-z'ing!
SueH I refuse to go quietly!
Sue,
DeleteYou are right. The more who remember the more we all have, or realize we have.
Yes, that is Nathan Fillion. He was actually began his career in musicals. Has a nice voice, don't you think? I do think about him in that movie every time I see Castle too. I even have the bumper sticker: OCD. Obsessive Castle Disorder. LOL.
A valuable post here, and a good lesson. I think envy is one of the most destructive emotions that humans are capable of - it can't even be channeled very usefully because even if you achieve wonderful things, you will only feel successful if you've 'beaten' someone else.
ReplyDeleteHow true, Ellen. Nothing wrong with doing your best and even being competitive. I admit to having a twinge of satisfaction to vanquish a foe that has been mean to me, but I have to be careful there. Revenge cuts both ways.
DeleteBest for me to just say, "Bless them, change me" when I have those thoughts. I once got fired from a job and sent out bills and letters for the next week with LOVE stamps on them, just to remind myself how small hatred makes me.
Thanks for dropping by.
Ahh, never heard Nathan Fillion sing. He's pretty good. I like him in Castle - great sarcasm:)
ReplyDeleteI'm also a Firefly fan, and loved his movie based on that series, Serenity. I was sorry to see it go away, even though there was quite a fan base. Maybe some day it will come back.
DeleteBut yes, Castle is one of only two TV programs I watch regularly. The other one is Justified, written by the talented Elmore Leonard.
Nathan Fillion is still my first love....