Something that happened today reminded of something that I had written around a couple of years back. Reproduced here below.
A few years back, I met an old friend. Actually, we had studied in college together. We hadn’t kept in touch, and so we spoke for quite a while. He had recently changed jobs, and was eager to get started on a couple of projects, that he discussed with great interest. A couple of hours whizzed by. When it was time to leave, we both handed our tickets to the valet and waited for our cars. The moment of truth – who drives what?
His car came first. A sleek BMW 750 series – not the latest model, but not more than a year old. And I felt the pangs of envy – it was a much better car than what I had. You know the feeling – one that hits you in the stomach and creeps up your spine, raising thoughts in your head – “we were at the same stage at one point in our lives, and now…seems like he has gone well past me“, I thought to myself. Not wanting him to hear the thoughts in my head, I looked at him and said – “Nice ride!”.
“Yes, quite the works. Good that the company had this car to lend me, while my Pajero is on it’s way from Oman.”
My envy vanished as fast as it had arisen.
Comparisons are inevitable. It is human tendency to compare. And why not? This is what we have been taught – who comes first, who second, who is better in sports, who is from a richer family…All our lives we compete, and hence compare.
No one taught us to complement, to grow together, to share.
Oddly enough, the smaller businesses and people with lesser means work together better than larger businesses and richer people. Case in point – observe the stands outside any temple. They all sell the same stuff, but when someone does not have stock of a particular item, he just trudges to the next shop to get it for you. Now think if Apple and Samsung or Tesla and General Motors would ever do something comparable.
Comparisons lead to envy and jealousy, whereas sharing and complementing leads to mutual growth. Everyone benefits, rather than one benefiting at the cost of the other. Isn’t that a better way to do things?
Think about it.
Leaving you with the ever-dependable Tiruvalluvar. See you tomorrow!
அறன்ஆக்கம் வேண்டாதான் என்பான் பிறனாக்கம்
பேணாது அழுக்கறுப் பான்.
Aranaakkam Ventaadhaan Enpaan Piranaakkam
Penaadhu Azhukkarup Paan (163)
The man who envies another’s wealth is the man, who could never aspire to virtue and wealth himself.
परोत्कर्षमसोद्वैव यस्त्वसूयापरो भवेत् ।
इह वित्तं परे पुण्यमुभयं तस्य हीयते ॥ (१६३)
धर्म- अर्थ के लाभ की, जिसकी हैं नहीं चाह ।
पर-समृद्धि से खुश न हो, करता है वह डाह ॥ (१६३)
ತನಗೆ ಧರ್ಮ, ಸಂಪದಗಳೆರಡೂ ಬೇಡವೆನ್ನುವವನೇ ಬೇರೊಬ್ಬರ ಸಿರಿಯನ್ನು ಕಂಡು ಸಂತೋಷಿಸದೆ ಕರುಬುತ್ತಾನೆ. (೧೬೩)
ഇരുലോകനന്മക്കായിട്ടർത്ഥധർമ്മങ്ങളിൽ പ്രിയം ഇല്ലാത്തോനന്യരിൽ മേന്മ കണ്ടസൂയപ്പെടുന്നതാം (൱൬൰൩)