‘Someone else’s success is not your failure.’
This quote has to be repeated louder for the people at the back. Hmm, I’ve had my fair share of ‘haters’ in this life. At some point, I had to pray because my experiences were always hurtful.
I’ll gist you guys of one prominent occurrence that has stuck with me over the years. I come from a fairly well-to-do family so money has never been an issue. I think because of this people always want me to pour my money on them. I am not stingy o- I give when I have to but for some people, they’ll not rest until you have emptied your pockets.
I had this friend in uni. We started getting close in my second year and every time I remember her, I almost shudder in regret. She was very smart and witty and this was one of the many reasons we became close and eventually became roommates.
I actually think we might have still been friends if she had not become my roommate. In the first few months, she moved in and our friendship blossomed. She was cool, I enjoyed her company and sincerely loved our friendship.
A few months passed by and I started noticing some things. I started an online course in a particular field and told her about it. I told her about my dreams and aspirations and how this course was a good addition to my CV. She brushed it aside and said that some of these courses were unnecessary and only connections would give one an edge in the future.
Tell me why the next day, she registered for that same course and by some weird occurrence I lost my progress on the course. This was a course I started three weeks earlier so you can imagine the progress I had made. I was in shock and asked her if she knew anything about it she said no and I can bet I saw a smirk on her face that day. I let it slide and started the course again.
Many times after that event, she would rub it in my face about her progress with the course. She had this air of competition constantly. She would do things just to spite me. She wore my clothes and shoes without permission. Honestly, that girl showed me what wickedness meant. As a humble aje-butter girl, I kept it all to myself and managed with her.
The weeks leading to us separating were the most excruciating of my life. She asked me for money, but I was already determined to never give her money again because all the ones I had given her earlier were never returned. Even the ones returned were always incomplete.
I responded that I couldn’t- that I didn’t have enough on me. Guys, a few hours later, she posted a jabbing quote on Facebook about fake friends and haters. My mouth dropped open, she stopped talking to me and soon she moved out.
I started vlogging on YouTube just before she left and I started seeing hateful comments from an unknown account that I suspected was hers. After she left, people told me a lot of horrendous things she said behind my back. I was so glad she left, I experienced peace that I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Guys, it does not hurt to be kind. Don’t feel threatened by the progress or success of others. If someone refuses to give you money, it does not mean they are a bad person. My experience with this girl has taught me to treat people better, and that the success of another person does not equal my failure.
I have never seen friendship the same way again but I know there are good people out there. So, if you have a friend, an acquaintance or even a family member, be happy for them whenever they seem to make progress in life.
Bitterness towards another person because of their achievements is a bad character. It’s giving ‘witchcraft’- I am just saying. The gist of how I met this girl years later is for another day.
How was your weekend?
