I have been prone to envy since
I was a little boy:
Disliking any child with
A better, newer toy
So I was in my twenties
And it happened, unexpected
An older woman mentored me
A woman I respected
The best advice she ever gave
Does not take long to tell:
To never dislike people for
The things that they do well –
And never envy people when
Good fortune was their lot.
A lesson I learned at the time
And never since forgot
For beauty, brains or riches,
For great talents, or great fame —
If these enure to others
That in no way mars my name
For happiness, as we all know
‘s a form of gratitude
Which envy wrecks, since it’s
A countervailing attitude
So my friend Jan, my mentor,
A psychologist by trade,
Taught me a thing worth knowing
Even if rarely
Displayed
.
.
.
(… this prompt …)
I’m struggling with envy at the moment, desiring things I do not have. This poem feels like it was posted specially for me!
I struggle with it every day.
Beautiful poem that tells a story with a great message, very well written
Thank you. I only wish practicing it was as easy as writing it.
Very true it’s a tough emotion to counter I try to sublimate my own as best I can to push towards my goals, but it can eat away at you if you’re not careful