Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carolyn Hax or someone wrote about a woman who was jealous of her sister who married a rich man and whose life did not seem to be the same struggle as hers. Then she found out her sister had MS.

I really believe that there are some who just have a charmed life that is not marred by any sort of misfortune. They are really rich and really happy. It makes some feel better to believe that there must be something wrong somewhere. Illness and misfortune do not favor the rich disproportionately like the biblical thorn in their side.

Many people at rich, healthy and happy. Deal with it.

Everybody is on borrowed time. Enjoy the good because the world is turned upside down for everyone at some point. Success builds walls, failure and hardship built bridges. You are of no deep use to others until you have experienced deep pain. I'm 52....the " red light, green light " phase of child rearing passes quickly... Then the mental shitstorm begins and nobody really cares what anybody else does or has. Take each day and live it.

I'm jealous.

Anonymous wrote:sounds like your friend might be less happy than you think. her idea of a vacay is to cross the atlantic ocean and leave her kids behind? sounds biazrre to me (unless her kids are teens I suppose).

YES THIS!!!

Anonymous wrote:Let me tell you something to think about.

I have all of the above including massive new house, nanny, expensive cars etc... and am always working so I don't get to really enjoy anything. Maybe once the company is launched I can but I am basically living in my home office, bedroom bathroom and kitchen.

I have learned that unless you are a trust fund baby making more money means you end up working more and can enjoy it less. I do see joy in my children and hope they are having a good and enjoyable life with what we have provided them.

no you dont. YOU WORK!!!

So many of you do not sound nice. My friends from childhood are far wealthier than me, but I don't need to console myself with "maybe something bad will happen to them down the road" thing. They are FRIENDS, I hope they as happy and healthy as they are rich.

sounds like your friend might be less happy than you think. her idea of a vacay is to cross the atlantic ocean and leave her kids behind? sounds biazrre to me (unless her kids are teens I suppose).

No. If money was something that was really important to me and my spouse, we could get on career tracks that would make us rich. But the stuff that you can buy when you have tons of money just isn't really of interest to us. We live fairly modestly, but I feel like a privileged person (not every moment, but every day).

I'm not jealous of others, but I have almost everything I want. I am waiting for one more thing and then I'll have everything.

Would it help you to know I suffered a lot and came from nothing? Or that I worked my ass off to get where I am?

The trips and jewelry and walk-in closets are awesome, don't get me wrong. But what I cherish most? My kids' love.

Sure, I can admit I'm envious. But it isn't blind envy, imagining perfect lives with not a care in the world other than where to vacation next. I know that for the vast majority of people, it's just not like that. Just like the friends who have made snarky "must be nice" comments about my life probably don't have any idea about some of the sacrifices we have made.

People often see what they want to see -- colored by their own experiences and perceived holes in their own lives.

I don't assume that my friends who appear to have "better" lives have something terrible going on behind the scenes, but I do assume that I don't know everything. Just like my friends don't see/know everything about my life.

I SO agree with "everyone has a story" and you never know just how good it is for them or what else is going on.

I have a friend who doesn't have to work, can have as many kids as she wants, take whatever vacations she wants etc. It annoys me because she brags about these things (doesn't just talk about them, but talks actual $ amounts, and recommends to me hotels that I clearly cannot afford). She's an insecure person, and thrives on the money. I don't envy her insecurity issues and the husband who is never home in time for bedtime. Everything in life is a tradeoff.

I try to remember that I have more than others do, and other people may view ME as that privileged person. I have no college debt thanks to my parents, and my husband's new job allows us just enough wiggle room in the budget for me to finally have another baby and go to grad school. I feel like money is tight all the time, but I get to have my baby and degree and small vacations while others are struggling with just food and diapers.

Nope. I'm not, everyone has their problems. I have an acquaintance that has a dream job at a luxury design house but if I actually think about it, I enjoy owning my own business wayyy more. I am now a designer. If you really think about it, your life is usually better in its own way. You just have to open your eyes to it.

Yes my friend is like this but recently told me that she is starting an affair with her coworker. I told her she was crazy but she can't stop herself.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Carolyn Hax or someone wrote about a woman who was jealous of her sister who married a rich man and whose life did not seem to be the same struggle as hers. Then she found out her sister had MS.

I really believe that there are some who just have a charmed life that is not marred by any sort of misfortune. They are really rich and really happy. It makes some feel better to believe that there must be something wrong somewhere. Illness and misfortune do not favor the rich disproportionately like the biblical thorn in their side.

Many people at rich, healthy and happy. Deal with it.

+1,000

Anonymous wrote:Totally normal, but remember that everyone has their issues and struggles and those with "perfect" lives you envy are probably hiding something, or are unhappy themselves because they envy someone with even more.

Or they don't but its easier to think they do

There are definitely things you have that she doesn't have