The second glance

It was a Tuesday. We were shopping, and I was rolling up and down the aisles in my wheelchair as usual when I suddenly heard a boy of about 7 who was looking over at me exclaiming enthusiastically to his mother, “Wow, I want one of those too!” This exclamation of admiration was directed at my electric wheelchair. His mom tempers his enthusiasm with the words, “No, be glad you don’t need one!” I am amused by his excitement, which does not wane even after his mother’s explanation. He examines the display of the wheelchair, comments on the battery level, and we exchange a few words.

Somehow, it’s typical for children. They see my “great” vehicle and mainly recognize it as fun and action. What they don’t see are the somewhat unmaneuverable legs that go with it. That’s just how children are.

But is it really only children?

Aren’t we adults often the same? Okay, we don’t shout it out to the world, but don’t such thoughts sometimes or even more often arise within us? And not just at Christmas!

We look at the supposed happiness of others and wish we had it too… the wealth, the beautiful house, the great car, the partner, the children, the job, the prestige, the looks, and whatever else there is. Like the boy in the supermarket, we only see the good side of the things we would like to have, completely forgetting or overlooking the fact that responsibility, worries, hardships, and stress are also part of the deal. After all, a beautiful house needs to be cleaned and maintained, a relationship needs to be worked on, children guarantee sleepless nights, and many careers come with a lot of stress.

So, when we catch ourselves having thoughts that look a bit like envy, it’s worth taking a second look at the thing we envy, only to possibly realize that the price of what we envy may be higher than we are willing to pay.