RULE 2

Don’t envy it

It’s hard to look at wealthy people in the public eye and not wish you had what they have. Mind you, you don’t necessarily know what else they have that goes with the money – they may have all kinds of personal problems or hidden angst you wouldn’t want, not to mention the direct effects of money such as being chased around interminably by paparazzi, or being obliged to live in three houses at once, which I always think must be horrible.^*

Yes, it’s tough to watch and wish. Ah, but that’s nothing to how tough it is when the person with all the money isn’t some distant celebrity but your best friend, your neighbour, your colleague, your sister...Now that gets really tough to cope with. In fact the closer they are, the harder it is. If the couple next door don’t seem to do much work yet have three overseas holidays a year, while you’re working all hours and can’t justify a week in Skegness, it can be pretty hard to bear.

I knew someone who cut off all contact with her best friend, much as she loved her, because she simply couldn’t cope with her own jealousy as her friend grew slowly wealthier over the years, while her own fortunes dwindled. It was very sad. She ended up no wealthier, and now she’d given up her best friend as well. But that’s not all. The best friend went on to suffer a terrible personal tragedy, which she would gladly have given all her money to avoid, which is my main point.

You see, if you don’t have money, you can imagine it’s the answer to everything. You know, ‘If only I had a six figure annual income, everything would be perfect’. But it isn’t, you see. Which means that while you’re busy envying wealthy people for their money, they’re busy envying other people (maybe even you) for their marriage, or their health, or their sporting accomplishments, or the fact that their job is so rewarding. Listen, we can all find things to envy in others, however poor or wealthy we are. Or we can be grateful for everything we have and build on it, instead of hankering after what other people have got.