Joy and Jealousy

Why is it so disturbing to the many to see other people enjoying their lives? Is it because we have an uneasy relationship with joy and contentment and seeing others joyful when we ourselves may not be?

Take time. People who have made arrangements so that with less desire for material wealth and more time to do the things they like, to hang out, or to sleep in are often looked upon with suspicion by regular folks.

The thinking goes, "Everybody should work  a 9 to 5 job all week long and wait until the weekend to have some fun. That's the way it's done. Everyone should, unless they are rich and famous."

Because of course, wealth is guaranteed immunity from the disdain that's reserved for those part-timers.

Who in their right mind would settle for less stuff when if they would work more, could have more?

It's a concept many of us struggle with.
What gives these people the right to be 'idle'? It doesn't sit well with the 'protestant work ethic' that dictates that all people should work hard and acquire material wealth- or die trying. Hence the distrust and bad rep those of us get who are trying to live a life of more thoughtfulness, depth and quality.

Naturally when confronted with unschoolers, one can further understand the sentiment of jealousy towards the parents-that they can give so much of their time to do it.

Then comes the jealousy towards the children of unschoolers. To many, it feels wrong to see kids enjoying themselves during school hours! How can these kids get away with it, they wonder?

There is even resentment and jealousy that people would actually want to do this unschooling thing.  One must forgive those who are hopelessly outraged that (to add insult to injury), it actually works!

Yet offered a chance at freedom of this kind, how many would accept it? Largely invested in the conventional, I fear the majority would turn away -be it out of guilt, fear or simply routine.

Freeing oneself from work takes work. For me it is ongoing. There are still the voices of other people in my mind. There are still other people's needs and expectations. There are still my own expectations-true or fabricated.
I am just so happy that my children, raised as unschoolers, have a chance at this freedom and peace of mind that is already allowing them to be the people they want to be, and live the life they want to live by following their bliss.