Article October 16, 2006 Issue

FINDING AN END TO ENVY

BY CURT WAHLBERG

WE'VE ALL FELT IT.

That longing and ache for something someone else has. I know I've felt it—and it's no good.

I recall my jealousy toward a childhood friend who was good at everything. I liked hanging out with Steve and admired his talents, but that admiration quickly turned into a feeling of personal inadequacy. He was smarter, quicker, better at sports. I remember a time when he let me cheat off him during a math quiz in third grade. And a later occasion when I struck him in the ankle with my hockey stick because my team couldn't get the puck from him. I used my friend to my advantage when I could, but later lashed out at him.