Jealousy

Remember that feeling which was triggered when your rival beat you at a test or when our siblings got something which you sorely wanted? That feeling is jealousy. Do you recall the days in your younger childhood when your parents and teachers nagged at you about how jealousy is not good? Actually, jealousy, like of a coin, has two sides to it. It can be the beginning of great evil or it might bring forth a hidden courage or determination from within a person.

When a person is jealous and has the misfortune of being negatively affected by it, he might start plotting ways to destroy the person he is jealous of. For example, if your sibling gets a toy which you desired dearly, you might start hating your sibling. When this hatred gradually builds up inside you, eventually you will want retribution. The snowball effect which might start from a small problem might result in you gravely hurting your loved ones. The problem with the toy could be easily solved if you and your sibling agree to share the toy and play with it together.

Jealousy can also bring about the will to not give up and make one practise a particular skill or subject till you beat your rival. For example, if you do not do as well academically as a classmate, you might be filled with jealousy. This can be converted to determination which could drive you to work harder than before and motivate you to push yourself to your limits in order to beat your rival. Instead of hating the person who beats you, you would communicate with the person and try to find out what can be done for you to do as well or be even better than him or her. With this newfound determination, not only will you become smarter and a better spot, you will also get the thrill of achievement when you finally beat your rival.

So, like heaven and hell and an angel and a demon, jealousy has two sides and can bring courage but it can also bring about downfall by filling one with hatred.