Jealousy Impairs Our Mental health
Jealousy in any degree is a poison and will seriously impair our mental health.
The quality of mercy is twice blessed, the quality of jealousy on the other hand is twice cursed.
We know in fiction and in life how jealousy, starting as a very minor feeling, grows to gigantic proportions and brings about untold suffering. Jealousy is a weakness that cannot be defended under any circumstances. It is out and out a destructive force.
How does jealousy arise? It is always a sense of inequality that breeds jealousy. You lack something which the other person has. So you are jealousy of him or her. It may be that the other individual has a fairer
complexion or is more wealthy or has a higher social status or is more popular or has more learning. No doubt, where inequality leads to injustice, it must be removed. But most
inequalities are natural without any question of injustice being involved. Nature delights in inequalities. That is why we say variety is the spice of life.
Look at the five fingers on your hand. They are distinctly unequal but one finger does not get jealous of another. Complexion also should not bother us. Sri Krishna was dark blue in complexion. But everyone - men and women, young and old, fell in love with him. He was the darling of mankind.
Socrates of Greece was short and stout with a press-button nose but even the greatest scholars sat at his feet. Abraham Lincoln, American leader was lanky in his movements but the world adores him as the integrator of the United States of America. Homer of Greece was blind and so was Milton of England. But we cannot think of two other poets higher in the literary field in Europe.
A shortage by itself does not take away a man''s worth. Jesus Christ, Gautam Buddha and Gandhiji were without financial resources. But they are the three personalities who have been the richest benefactors of the World.
So, instead of getting jealous because another man has something which you do not have, you must strive to make the best use of a talent that God has given you. It is only small minds that fret and fume in jealousy. When your mind has matured and is striving for excellence you will have no time or energy to be jealous of anyone else.
Jealousy is a negative quality. The surest method of removing it is to develop positive virtues. To be good and great is to be non jealous.