Don't waste time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes

“Don’t waste time on jealousy. Sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind.” – Mary Schmich

Listen well, children of the passing years, for this saying speaks to the rhythm of life itself. The world turns like a great wheel, lifting some to the heights while others descend into shadow, and then lifting those same fallen ones again. Jealousy is the futile cry of the soul that forgets this eternal turning. It is born when one gazes too long at another’s fortune, forgetting that time weaves a different pattern for every being beneath the sun. Mary Schmich, in her modern wisdom, reminds us that life is not a race against others, but a journey of our own making. To envy is to pause in bitterness while life moves swiftly past.

Jealousy—that quiet thief of joy—has haunted humankind since the dawn of memory. It whispers that another’s triumph diminishes your own, that another’s beauty eclipses your light. Yet the wise know that comparison is an illusion, for the river of each life flows through its own valley. Sometimes it rushes fast and strong; sometimes it pools in stillness, gathering strength unseen. Those who waste their days in envy drain their spirit of peace, forgetting that what blooms in another’s season cannot bloom in theirs—at least not yet.

Behold the story of Aesop’s tortoise and hare, told by the ancients to reveal this very truth. The hare, proud of his speed, mocked the tortoise who moved slowly and without glory. But the race is not always to the swift, nor the prize to the proud. The tortoise, patient and steadfast, crossed the finish line while the hare slept in arrogance. So it is with us. At times you may be ahead, basking in success; at others, you may find yourself behind, learning through struggle. Yet both moments are sacred, for both belong to the cycle of becoming.

Even in the chronicles of history we see this wisdom unfold. Think of Abraham Lincoln, whose early life was marked by failure and loss. He saw others rise before him, gaining power, wealth, and acclaim. But he did not surrender to jealousy. Instead, he walked slowly, building strength through patience and purpose. In time, his path led not only to greatness but to immortality of spirit. Had he measured himself by the fleeting fortunes of others, his light might have faded before it could shine.

The truth is this: sometimes you’re ahead, sometimes you’re behind, but always, you are moving forward on your own road. The seasons of success and struggle are not enemies but companions. Spring rejoices only because winter once reigned. To envy another’s spring is to forget that your own will come in its time. The wise soul learns to trust the rhythm of their own becoming, to walk with quiet faith rather than restless comparison.

So, my child of tomorrow, do not waste your time on jealousy. Each heartbeat is a precious coin you spend upon the altar of life—do not offer it to envy, for it gives nothing in return. When you see another shining, rejoice; their light does not steal yours, it merely reminds you that the sky is vast enough for all stars to gleam. When you find yourself in shadow, be patient, for the sun is only hidden, not gone.

The lesson is simple but eternal: walk your path with grace. Celebrate your pace, however slow or swift. Learn from those ahead, and guide those behind, for in truth, no one is ahead or behind forever. The wheel turns, fortune shifts, and all are bound by the same tide. In the end, it is not who wins, but who walks with peace in their heart, who lives without bitterness, and who greets both victory and failure as old friends.

So live as the ancients would counsel: free of envy, rich in gratitude, and steadfast in your purpose. For those who waste no time on jealousy will find time itself as their ally—each moment a gift, each breath a triumph, each day a quiet victory over the restless heart.