Jealousy

Maybe you’re too busy being bothered by everything and everyone else you don’t see the one thing you have control over
Maybe it’s time to start working on you

Unfortunately jealousy and begrudgery is a trait that comes out in some way, shape or form in almost all Irish people. It’s ingrained in us all. Now, jealousy is a natural trait that every person in the world has in some form but begrudgery is a nasty trait that I’ve not experienced in other places that I’ve lived. In America, if you’ve a nice car you’ll more than likely be complimented on it. In Ireland, you get smart comments and people talking about you.

The CEO of a company I worked for in Dublin years ago bought himself a nice second hand Porsche. Despite being a snob he was a lovely fella and a very good man to work for but he was vilified for buying the car. All staff were well paid and well looked after under his watch but there was a manager in the company that hated him purely because he bought himself a Porsche. The car was vandalised, badly, one evening in the car park and despite it never being proved we new it was the manager who did it. No other reason for it only begrudgery. He loved making comments such as “sure it’s worth the same as any other car now” and “Alan isn’t so smug now”. That’s one particularly bad case of begrudgery that I’ve had the misfortune of witnessing.

That being said, I’m a begrudger myself but I wouldn’t wish any harm on someone or something they own. It’s an insecurity issue that I have and no matter what I have, I think someone else has something better and I yearn for it. I wouldn’t be nasty but it’s a terrible streak to have and I’m ashamed by it.