In My Own World

I don’t usually say this out loud, but sometimes, the pangs of jealousy hit harder than I’d like to admit. I scroll through social media, and there it is — another promotion, another new house, another smiling face celebrating something that, if I’m honest, I wish I had too. I’m happy for them, truly. But somewhere deeper, beyond the surface smiles, a quiet ache stirs: When will it be my turn? Will it ever be?  It’s an uncomfortable feeling — this jealousy that creeps in even when I know better. Even when I remind myself that everyone’s timing is different, that everyone’s life unfolds at its own messy, unpredictable pace. It doesn’t stop the sting. It doesn’t erase the tiny fractures it leaves in my heart. It’s not just the big milestones either. Sometimes, it's the small, ordinary moments that catch me off guard. The way someone is treated with gentleness and kindness — without having to beg for it, without having to prove they deserve it. Meanwhile, I’m left wondering why i...