Lately, I am struggling to distinguish between what is "envy" and what is simply "inspiration". I am the sort of person who enjoys doing things well. This extends to everything from a hard day of work to aesthetic decisions.
For the past week I have been reading an article on envy over and over again, searching for clues and red flags hoping something will ring true in my mind and alert me to the virtue, or lack thereof, in my pleasurable pursuits. In wanting to create a beautiful space for our baby, a unique, space, just for them, filled with joy and light and love, I am searching blogs, design magazines, and cataloging those pictures, jotting down ideas and project notes. Is this me, envying the "stuff" of others or is it something different altogether; a kind of expression of gratitude for new life and an act of service to my God-given family and love?
The answer to this question came to me with the revelation that I do not feel disadvantaged, or jealous, without these things; I feel empowered instead. Empowerd to take hold of all of the gifts that my hands and my time at work afford me - thank God. Envy divides and inspiration unites.
