If you’re an American you are familiar with the term, “Keeping up with the Jones’”, if you’re from outside the USA, you’re probably not as familiar. Well let me quickly catch you up to speed, the term refers to keeping up with your neighbors and in essence trying to beat them to the punch, so you’re always one step ahead.
Example- Your neighbor pulls into his/her driveway with a brand new vehicle, and you feel the green gills of envy come your way, do you:
- A) walk over and congratulate them on a great purchase
- B) run inside and tell your spouse about your neighbors recent purchase
- C) stand there and feel your blood pressure soar through the roof because YOU should have had the money to purchase something nice for yourself? Just then, you are struck with the thought that, “I’ll show them, I’ll purchase something nicer!”
Well, if you’re a nice person, you’d probably pick A, but all too often people tend to choose C. What does that say about you? It is really a shame because people can’t seem to be happy for others anymore. If you like something that someone else has you may tend to feel jealous or envious of it. Remember that if it’s that important to you, you just need to work hard for it and you can attain it too.
But, honestly- my husband and I must be from the minimal population of people who honestly don’t care what other people have. Good for them. Their life is their life.
Most people think that if they get the newest cell phone, ipod, gps system, computer, laptop, car, house, boat, jewelry, or whatever, they’ll be at a higher class level and will in turn be somewhat more important. But, NEWS FLASH, it’s a never ending cycle of chasing something to give yourself value.
Every person has value within themselves, they don’t need to do things to keep up with others in order to become complete and whole human beings. They just need to decide what things are important to them, and work towards attaining those goals.
Because, there’s a really great proverb that I often remember, and translated it loses some of its power, but still it’s so good that I must state it or else I’ll burst. It goes something like this, “A monkey with money, is nonetheless a monkey.” Basically stating that if you have money or don’t, you’re still a human being and how many things you own, or how much money is in the bank, or what type of status you hold in society, you’re still a human being that puts your clothes on one leg at a time (unless you choose to jump in with both feet, which I never really understood).
So, the next time you feel that you want something that someone else has, remember it may not be as life altering, as you may originally perceive it.
The things we take with us from this life is our kindness and love towards others, the family and friends we have left behind, and above all else no matter how successful we were, or how much we attained during our lifetimes, the ultimate justice is that we will all eventually return to the earth from whence we came, with nothing.
