Popularity can do a number on you, don’t let it!
I know this guy, let’s call him Devron. He has no idea of the following, let’s keep it that way.
He’s very popular. Me? I do OK, surely. I deal with being jealous or envious of others more well off than me. Don’t get me wrong, I am definitely doing well. Good friends and family.
Let me give you examples of how the popularity of others can really sting.
I’m younger and playing softball. Devron is playing left field. I am playing catcher. A ball is hit to him and a runner comes towards home from second. Devron throws a ball to me that is high and off to the left. I jumped up and to the left, caught the ball, and swung around to make the tag in one motion. The runner looked surprised. I was impressed with myself.
And what do I hear? ‘Way to go, Devron!’ What? I walked out to high-five him and he just walked by me.
I’d play outfielder. I would be prepared to make a catch and Devron would jump in front of me and make the catch. Yep. ‘Alright, Devron!’
Now, Devron is a nice guy, really. Thirty years later I see he has several thousand ‘friends’ on Facebook. Dang.
He did other things to me that spoke of peer pressure that he would succumb to. Complete-lack-of-respect from me by that point.
