Envy: A Heavy Burden To Bear
I cant help but share a perspective to Ben Okri’s masterpiece; Starbook, even though he was talking about a love story, it also in my point of view aptly describes a common human disease – envy. When you have become ‘a spotlight’ in your family and your people don’t know why they cant ‘handle’ your ‘successes’ but instead become cynical by putting you under their microscope of judgemental scrutiny, you feel robbed of your space, misunderstood and ultimately find yourself drifting away from them because you are not celebrated.
Such imprudence I find intriguing! To think that these are the same people who when you were all small fries at the back side of life, joined hands with you in prayers and wishful thoughts of better and beautiful things to come. Instead, they have now become self-appointed critics of your every move and actions simply because they cant handle any semblance of success or edge that they perceive you have over them.
They go the entire length and breadth of bitter diatribes about you, leaving behind their own baggages of dysfunction.
Of all the disorders of the soul, envy is the only one no one confesses to- Plutarch, c. A.D 46-120.
If you are often talked about in a critical way, not so acknowledged in your kind gestures, mostly ‘attacked’ in perceived rebellion, take heart, accept it graciously and take none of it personally.
We fail to realise that in sharing in other people’s joys of success, we set the stage ready for our own upliftment. If your heart misses a beat at the news of a close relation’s or compatriot’s achievements, them know that you have the seeds of envy studded on the inside of you, hence, expel it outward as inspiration that would propel you to be at your best in your own endeavours.
May I present this excerpt from Ben Okri’s StarBook- A Magical Tale of love and Regeneration:
"…No one thought to leave him alone so that he could come round in his own way.
They fretted over him and trouble him with their fears and projections. They made him the concern and the problem and the focus of the kingdom.
They interfered with every aspect of his life. They gave him no space to grow into his own man. They robbed him of space and time.
They spied on him everywhere he went. They reported his every move. They misunderstood his every gesture and utterance. They magnified his silence.
They distorted his stillness. They suspected his prayers. They saw sinister aspects to his complete innocence.
And so, unwittingly, they drove him further and further away from the kingdom…"
If you are an exceptional person with excellent achievements, look out! because you’ve just made yourself a target of envy!
I cant help but share a perspective to Ben Okri’s masterpiece; Starbook, even though he was talking about a love story, it also in my point of view aptly describes a common human disease – envy. When you have become ‘a spotlight’ in your family and your people don’t know why they cant ‘handle’ your ‘successes’ but instead become cynical by putting you under their microscope of judgemental scrutiny, you feel robbed of your space, misunderstood and ultimately find yourself drifting away from them because you are not celebrated.
Such imprudence I find intriguing! To think that these are the same people who when you were all small fries at the back side of life, joined hands with you in prayers and wishful thoughts of better and beautiful things to come. Instead, they have now become self-appointed critics of your every move and actions simply because they cant handle any semblance of success or edge that they perceive you have over them.
They go the entire length and breadth of bitter diatribes about you, leaving behind their own baggages of dysfunction.
Of all the disorders of the soul, envy is the only one no one confesses to- Plutarch, c. A.D 46-120.
If you are often talked about in a critical way, not so acknowledged in your kind gestures, mostly ‘attacked’ in perceived rebellion, take heart, accept it graciously and take none of it personally.
We fail to realise that in sharing in other people’s joys of success, we set the stage ready for our own upliftment. If your heart misses a beat at the news of a close relation’s or compatriot’s achievements, them know that you have the seeds of envy studded on the inside of you, hence, expel it outward as inspiration that would propel you to be at your best in your own endeavours.
May I present this excerpt from Ben Okri’s StarBook- A Magical Tale of love and Regeneration:
"…No one thought to leave him alone so that he could come round in his own way.
They fretted over him and trouble him with their fears and projections. They made him the concern and the problem and the focus of the kingdom.
They interfered with every aspect of his life. They gave him no space to grow into his own man. They robbed him of space and time.
They spied on him everywhere he went. They reported his every move. They misunderstood his every gesture and utterance. They magnified his silence.
They distorted his stillness. They suspected his prayers. They saw sinister aspects to his complete innocence.
And so, unwittingly, they drove him further and further away from the kingdom…"
If you are an exceptional person with excellent achievements, look out! because you’ve just made yourself a target of envy!
Labels: Envy: A Heavy Burden To Bear
<< Home