Envy is an insult to oneself.
Yevtushenko
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Join me on the road.
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Envy is one of the seven deadlies. Maybe it should be one of the 10 Commandments. Thou shalt not envy anyone. I guess it could fall under the category of not coveting. But that commandment refers to things and people: oxes, asses, maid servants and such. But isn't to covet a person's beauty, strength, intelligence just as bad?
To say "I envy her good looks" is the same as saying "I'm not beautiful." To say "I'm not as strong as he is" means "I'm a weakling." And to say "He's more intelligent than I am" means "I'm pretty stupid compared to him."
I think that word "compare" is the real villain. Shakespeare said "Comparisons are odorous." The commandment should read "Thou shalt not compare thyself with others." Why not? Because you rob thyself if you do. And you rob others because you start looking for their limitations.
I could envy actors whose good health enables them to keep on working into their senior years. I could envy writers I know whose books are published, being read and enjoyed. I could envy painters whose works are on display in museum and homes.
I am an individual in the vast universe of creatures. I have my own beauty, strength and intelligence. I may compete, but I won't compare.
Q. How many actors does it take to change a light bulb?
A. 50. One to change the bulb, and 49 to say "I could have done that better."
DB
By the way.
At first I thought ENDEAVOUR, the name of the space shuttle visiting the International Space Station, was a typo. Shouldn't it be spelled ENDEAVOR? Then I learn that it was named after HM Bark Endeavour, the ship of Captain James Cook. the 18th Century British explorer. So it has the British spelling.
"Bark" is another name for ship, as in "they embarked." And Shakespeare refers to love as "the star to every wandering bark, whose worth's unknown although his height be taken," referring to how sailors would navigate by the North Star.
And now for the:
SUMMER QUIZ
This is not a contest.
A young man out west just took home 88 million dollars from the lottery.
Whether you play the lottery or not, if you suddenly had 88 million dollars, or the equivalent of whatever your currency is, what are the first three things you would do with it?
You have all summer to answer if you wish.
12 responses so far.
DB
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I wish you a jolly day.
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I grieve.
My credit card bank, the only credit card that's left me, is jerking me around, sky rocketing my interest rates even though I am a prompt and frequent payer. The stress is awful.
My readership is so low I'm thinking again of weaning myself from the journal and just sticking with a few regulars through emails.
It has become even more painful lately to walk anywhere.
8 comments:
Hope you keep writing here, but if not, I will follow you via e-mail. The thing is, the journal needs to be for you, if you are not getting enjoyment, then it becomes a chore. In my case, I enjoy sharing tidbits people may not be aware of in every day life. You enjoy making us think. I often only get 2 or 3 comments, but that is OK, I know there are many more just skimming.
As far as your readership goes, I agree with Ken. Sometimes you write about things that can require so deep a response, that I am sure some readers, including me on occasion, are left to merely think about what you have written.
I wouldn't stop writing because you get only a few comments. If you ask me, I would think that there is a little envy in that others have more comments or followers. Who cares? When I started journaling, I was glad for the first few folks who read me, and was glad for them. To me, it is like finding and making friends. How many good friends do one really need?
I may compete, but I won't compare.
I liked that line, and I copied it when I saw it. That is something that I do think that I do, compete. If it happens that I resemble anyone or anything, cool. It isn't intentional or something I set out to do. I am trying to get in the game to do my best.
That is all life expects of anyone, their best. I do think you are wrong when you said, 'I am not as strong = weakling. Not being as strong in what sphere? Physical strength? Get in line, because there are a lot of people who are 'not as strong as him'.
But in mental stregnth, that is another matter. You can be as strong as you need to be, if you believe it. And the thing about envy, is that it means you have stop appreciating and enjoying what you have, the life you have lived.
Regrets, I have a few. But as the song says, I have did it my way. And that is that with that.
Write because it pleases you, and no other reason. Stop because you no longer dervive pleasure from it. But don't do it because only a few people read you. That would be unfair and selfish.
It would be unfair and selfish for you to decide to stop writing your Vagabond Journeys. Let your readers decide that. I read your posts all the time yet rarely do I respond in print. However, your words do make me think and examine my own reactions to them. I would bet that there are many like me who read your words, but who don't post comments. Write because it pleases you, just like Big Mark says. The audience is there, you just can't see them.
Yes, the envy 'sin' falls under the commandment about Not to covet.
Very interesting to read your thoughts about such thing.
Sometimes in life, we think that because we are physically able we don't have any handicaps? There is DB. Only it can't be seen by anybody else' naked eyes.
As to the spelling, I am not falling into the British way of doing it.
What do you think of my answer about your question on winning the lottery of $88 million. Gosh, maybe if I do, it is time to fly to the moon. You reckon?
Correction please!
...It should be read or typed as "Now falling into the British way of doing it!"
See?
That's my handicap. :)
Responses don't come easy with what you write but I often think of it as I fall asleep.
Don't you even THINK of "signing off" It would make us very sad. You are so wonderful with your words. You leave us all with much to think about and you even inspire us.
I don't know why you have difficulty walking and I'm so sorry to hear that. I broke my ankle and had multiple foot fractures year ago, so I feel your pain, so to speak.
Summer can be a slow time for a lot of us who keep a journal. There are vacations or kids; perhaps grandkids, etc.
Take good care of yourself D.B. Hugs, Anne
DB; that credit card shouldn't be doing that to you unless they notified you they notified you in writing of an interest rate change. I know my credit card, when I made a mistake and paid it with a wrong account and the payment was a day or so late, took my interest up to 29%, but after I called them and talked to them, they brought it back to where it was before. I subsequently took the several credit cards I had and combined them into a new account where I would have 3.99% interest to pay them off for 5 years. In this economy, LOL, it might take me 5 years, but at least I'm not charging any more so that's a good thing. I'd check to see if there is a counsumer counseling place that can help you get this figured out because something doesn't sound right
I like what Mark said about comments, you do write really deep sometimes and its hard to think of something to leave for a comment, and I hate personally on my own journal, a generic comment "have a good day, nice entry" that type of thing. I want some "proof" the person actually read what I wrote and understood it. Sometimes I read your entries and stand back and think "geesh he's really smart, I think I know what he's saying but then I'm not sure" and then sometimes I think "gosh, I'm not sure what I can comment on"; that's why I like commenting on your "jottings"; I get those a lot more, LOL, usually by the time I'm reading journals its later at night when I'm tired so I sometimes can't think straight
envy would be like coveting. you can envy as you covet; so I think it falls in on the lists of commandments
I think you would have enjoyed the guest speaker at our church today; an astrophysicist who has studied long and hard and proved the reliability of the Bible and God as creator.
betty
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