I’ve experienced this a few times. Every time something looks glamorous, it is either immediately followed by, or accompanied by pain – the pain of learning, growth and success (however small).
It’s a very simple equation – the more the glamor, the more the pain.
Envy the life of a football star? It’s easy to forget the kind of ridicule it accompanies the moment he faces a bad run of form.
Envy the life of a Hollywood actress? It’s easy to forget the pain of rejection and ridicule when your love life fails or when you gain a couple of pounds of weight..again.
How many of these folk actually have happy marriages and lives?
Next time we feel envy, let’s remember that the high flying businessman hates the flying. He’d much rather spend time at home getting to know his children that little bit more. If he’s doing it with a smile while maintaining happy relationships with his family, there is much to be admired about his character.
Perhaps Peter Parker had it wrong. With great power comes a great deal of pain. The only way to prepare yourself is to forge the sort of character that learns to embrace the pain that accompanies it.
A Learning a Day 