Not everyone is happy when you are happy. There are those who feel happy because someone next to them is happy. But there are those who feel jealous when someone next to them is happy.
People are not the same. It is up to you to look into it. So, any time you become happy, the people around you are a mixture of those who are happy because you are happy and those who are jealous because you are happy.
It does not matter where your happiness comes from. Wherever it comes from, you always have those feeling happy with you and those feeling jealous of you. If you have won a lottery or a competition and you feel happy about it, you would still see some people in great displeasure. Even if your appointment comes from heaven, some people would still feel irritated and jealous of it. They would not feel afraid of God.
Wherever your happiness comes from, you should know you have a fraction of people who are not comfortable with it. It is your sole responsibility to celebrate your happiness or swallow it. Sometimes, how you celebrate your happiness can provoke others. You need not to celebrate your happiness as if you are showing people how happiness should be celebrated. It may be a mere celebration to you, but other people may perceive it as a provocation if you do it without a limit.
If, for instance, you are celebrating your appointment, you should mind of your predecessor. You need not to overcelebrate, it looks like you are telling people you are far much better than your predecessor. What happens here? Your predecessor feels provoked and swallows his sacrifice to work with you despite the relief. You should be mindful of how you celebrate your happiness.
When I was in senior 3 in 2012, our headmaster introduced a system in which 3 T-shirts labelled “Academic Giant” were given to the best three students. He said the awarded students could wear such T-shirts and come to school with as alternative uniforms. This was to encourage a spirit of competition in class.
I tell you, we almost charmed ourselves with magic. We broke into a very intense competition in class. Any time a test was brought, the student with the least marks could be that student with 60s. Every student kept an eye on the t-shirts. When examinations were sat for and results announced, I took the third position and I was given my t-shirt labelled “Academic Giant”. I almost lost the race.
Any time my school uniform became dirty, I could wear it and go to school with. I was too happy to wear it. I feel so special as all eyes were always on the students who used to wear them. One time, I felt my happiness was disturbing students who did not make it to top-3 to get t-shirts.
The fact that I used to wear it and go to school with while other students were all in school uniform could no longer encourage students to compete but rather make them feel jealous. I then decided to keep my T-shirt at home and wear it outside the school premises.
One student who never wore a school uniform after he was awarded an “Academic Giant” t-shirt walks naked in the street today. He became insane. He was allegedly charmed by his classmate who felt jealous of him. Sometimes, you need to swallow your happiness if it disturbs others.
Thank you for reading “Sowing The Seed Of Truth”.