Envy

If you could trade places with anyone in the world, past or present, who would it be? Would you decline the trade altogether?

Journeying back in time on Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, you might get more than you bargained for. Most places in the world, even in the U.S., before the mid-1950s didn’t have luxuries like hot showers or air conditioning. That might rule out 99% of possibilities, shrinking the pool to people who lived in the past 50 years.

Perhaps a famous comedian? I think John Candy, Chris Farley, and Robin Williams were three of the funniest. They died at an average age of 46 and battled numerous mental health and other health-related issues.

How about a President? Being the most powerful person in the world has its perks, but stress, scrutiny, and sleepless nights would be more than most of us could bear.

Would you like to be named the Sexiest Man Alive…twice? Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp were. Recent headlines related to both may dissuade you, though.

The Closer You Look, the More You See

In pondering this question, I tended to think of men, while most women would more naturally picture other women. Although, I guess it’s possible some men would want to trade places with women, and vice versa.

The point is that trading places with anyone would involve more trade-offs than you might initially realize.

Envy seems rational the farther away you are. However, most of what we envy is either airbrushed, not real, or an incomplete picture. As you zoom in, flaws multiply.

Everything We Envy Has a Price

We like to believe that there is only one side to a coin.

Every kid wants a puppy until it’s a poop factory. We bred our dog once. Ten puppies is rough.

Unmatched physical beauty is no match for constant critique and dissatisfaction in a romantic relationship. No amount of money or luxury is superior to a workaholic parent. Retiring from something has limited value if you aren’t retiring to something.

We all want six-pack abs, if a limited number of sit-ups and an unlimited number of cookies come with them.

Does the couple who never argues have any passion? Does the perfect home have any love and life in it?

Everything we envy in others has a price.

Your Life May Be Better Than the One You Envy

Your life may be better than the one you envy. And when you aren’t willing to pay the toll necessary to achieve the isolated attribute you admire, stop longing for it.

Appreciate your own unique gifts, friends, family, and loved ones. The same person you envy may envy you.

Jesus’ second command is worth sharing: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” It’s hard to envy your neighbors when you are loving them.

I wouldn’t trade places with anyone.

Envy is full of failure, shortcomings, and weaknesses, just like everybody else. The antidote for everyone against envy, which is often intertwined with depression and dissatisfaction, cycles through my memory.

Visiting an inner-city church in Washington, D.C., as a teenager, I remember a pastor echoing the words of Paul:

“Always be joyful. Always be prayerful. Always be thankful.”

October 2026