Jealousy: The green monster

Joshua’s class seemed to depend on him right from the start. He read ahead, bailed out teachers whenever they got stuck in the middle of some complex calculation, took fellow students through tutorials and discussions after class, won a number of the annual National Mathematics Competition awards and so on. For that reason fellow students gave him the “godly” treatment” and, in fact, many of them suspected he was superhuman.However, in form three, new students joined and the competition stiffened. He tripled his concentration and made class a permanent residence. When results hit the notice board, the new boys had beaten him hands down. He became confused and terribly threatened. What angered him the most was that these new guys didn’t seem too enthusiastic about books but their performance was exceedingly excellent. They, without a doubt, must have been of a different make. Joshua’s “exceptional” image gradually started to crumble.Eventually the experience of defeat sharpened his zeal for academics. He ordered his father to buy all the relevant text books in the world. His retarded social life became non existent and therefore had more time to properly immerse himself in books, complimented with pamphlets, class notes, question banks, you name it. Joshua read, read and read. So much he did that he was admitted to the hospital for stress therapy.When new test results came out, he was still far behind the fresh kids on the block. He became more frustrated and upset; he had tried all possible ways but no serious results had been produced. He wasn’t sure about his next move now. Then he got one - he shifted all the effort he had put into his books to sabotaging his competitors. In other words, he got personal. Secretly, he stole and destroyed their notes. He deliberately borrowed all the popular books from the library- even the ones he didn’t plan to use- and kept them just so his rivals wouldn’t get them. He also started falsely accusing them of cheating.His already limited number of friends started to dwindle, including the ones who approached him for consultation and discussions. It was now clear that they had shifted their attention to his bitterest enemies. He became more isolated and insecure for that reason. When the school authorities uncovered the fact that he was sabotaging other students’ performances, he was expelled instantly and that was the last nail in his coffin. Another student Michael Taremwa (not real name), was a calm and polite guy, the kind that didn’t get involved in useless talk as was the case with most of his male classmates. He only said something when called upon or when highly necessary. He occupied himself with what concerned him, all the time.For that reason he was adored by many girls especially the school hottie, Ann, whom other boys had tried to chase in vain. It didn’t please them at all that Michael was getting her attention, so they secretly plotted to make his life miserable in all ways possible.They poured filthy water on his bed while he was away reading. They locked him-up for hours in the toilet while he was using it. They framed him with stolen property and accused him of wetting the bed in the presence of girls just so they could tarnish his image.Surprisingly, Michael seemed unmoved with all the conspiracy. He instead focused on what mattered to him the most, the books he went to school to read and the girl who all these bad boys wanted but couldn’t have. Eventually good prevailed, as it always does. The evil efforts from the boys didn’t damage him even an inch, and his relationship with Ann became stronger instead. The wicked boys were the losers in the end. You must learn to be happy for your friends when something good happens to them. Trying to put other people down because you feel jealous about something they have that you don’t will only leave you miserable in the end. Jealously is evil.