“Oh God, don’t envy me, I have my own pains.” -Barbra Streisand
When have you been able to notice the pains of someone you envied?
Morning Glories
“I have been wondering what the morning glories know. Is it envy that compels these vines to strangle other flowers arising in their path? Or perhaps self preservation, to climb these walls, forsaking humbler beings, winding greedy stems around the trellis in their hungry pursuit of light.” -from “Joy,” by Terri Dennehy
How can you be more careful of others in your pursuit of your own light?
Envy
Our culture teaches us to want what others have–all of advertising is based on this–and so envy is a natural result. Sometimes, this is due to a real lack, but so often it is simply due to outside forces teaching us not to be content with what we have.
When have you felt envious? How do you convince yourself to be content?
Boundaries
Sometimes, our reactivity (even anger) is provoked by the lack of clear boundaries in our lives.
How do you make your boundaries clear to others? How do you re-establish boundaries that have been crossed?
No
Our anger over injustice can be turned into fuel to help us move justice forward. We can use that anger to say no to oppression and violence wherever it is found.
What are you called to say “no” to in our world?