“Comparison is the thief of all joy.” (Teddy Roosevelt)
A crow lived in the forest and was satisfied with life, until one day he saw a swan and thought that it must be the happiest bird in the world because it looked so pure and clean.
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When he told the swan his feelings, the swan replied that the parrot must be the happiest bird in all of creation because it had two colors, instead of one.
When the crow tracked down a parrot and told it what the swan had said, the parrot laughed.
There was no way it could be the happiest bird because it only had two colors unlike the peacock which had many beautiful colors.
Therefore, the peacock, must be the happiest bird in all creation.
The crow then visited a peacock at the zoo and said, “You are so beautiful. Every day thousands of people come to see you. But when people see me, they immediately shoo me away. You must be the happiest bird on the planet.”
The peacock replied, “That might appear true but because of my beauty, I am entrapped in this zoo. I have realized that the crow is the only bird not kept in a cage here at the zoo. So for past few days, I have been thinking that if I were a crow, I could roam anywhere.”
Teddy Roosevelt once said. “Comparison is the thief of all joy”.
Focusing on what we don’t have. Becoming jealous over what others might have. Obsessing about the highlight reel that our friends show on Instagram or Facebook. Trying to keep up with the Joneses. These are all comparisons that can steal our joy.
Dave Ramsey, the financial expert, likes to say, “We shouldn’t be buying things we don’t need, with money we don’t have, to impress people we don’t like.”
The Rough Rider Roosevelt also said, “Focus instead on where you are, what you do well and who you are … in this very moment. Be thankful for that.”
Ultimately, it is not the happy people who are thankful but rather thankful people who are happy.
People who are constantly comparing are rarely thankful.