Today i got a call early in the morning from a good friend of mine and i dare say it was the call that even woke me up from sleep, yet it left a deep impression on me. It was one of those days, those interactions that you don’t reflect on while it’s happening, but lingers in your mind long after. I met an old friend someone I once shared the same spaces, conversations, and ambitions with. Time has carried us in different directions, and today I was reminded of just how differently life can turn out for people. He now works in a solid organization, one that values his skills and rewards his effort a lot as opposed to where he was, where I still am. He earns well far more than he used to and it shows not just in material terms, but in his confidence and the quiet assurance with which he speaks about his life. What surprised me most, though, was not his success but my own reaction to it. There was no envy in me , no bitterness even in the slightest bit and no silent comparison of achievements. I felt only genuine happiness for him. It made me reflect on jealousy how common it is, how people accept it as a natural response to someone else’s success. I truly cannot understand it. What does jealousy achieve? It doesn’t elevate you. It doesn’t sharpen your skills, it doesn’t open doors, or create opportunities. It simply consumes your mental energy, energy that could have been invested in growth. Being jealous of another person’s success does not move you any closer to your own success. Even more puzzling is how some people go beyond jealousy and begin to wish for the downfall of others. Like why!!?. As if another person’s failure would somehow clear the path for them. But life doesn’t work that way, even if the person eventually fails or crumbles, Someone else falling does not make you rise. Their loss does not translate into your gain. If anything, it reveals just how short sighted you are. Seeing my friend thrive reminded me that success is not a limited resource. There is room for many stories of growth, many wins, there is a lot of room at the top for everyone. When someone succeeds, it should serve as proof that success is possible, not as an insult to those still finding their way. I left that meeting with a strange sense of peace. My life may not yet reflect where I want to be, but I am not behind I am simply on my own path and if I ever find myself tempted to measure my worth against someone else’s achievements, I hope I remember this day. A day that taught me clarity of ambition. It is understanding that the real work is not in watching others fall, but in building yourself up.
