superiority?

Do you feel better than me driving your Hummer or Mercedes or Audi? Is that what gets you by? Do you feel more superior than me because you make more money than I do? Does that higher income make you love stronger and live longer than I do?

I was driving to work this morning when a middle aged man shaving in his car looked at me. He was driving some fancy new Mercedes and he glanced at my rusting truck with great distaste. It made me want to get out of the car and ask him if he felt like he was a better person because he bought his car for $50,000 and I spent $700 on mine. As I felt enraged I asked myself why I felt that way.

I know that I am happier. I have no car payments. I don't work 70 hours a week at the office to make sure that some younger, smarter, faster associate doesn't steal my job. I don't stress out about what my neighbor bought over the weekend with the feeling that I've been outdone. I don't worry about whether my wife is boning the pool cleaning guy and whether or not she'll take all I have when she leaves me.

I was so angry because he summed up how sorry my life was by the appearance of my car and I summed up his life by his car as well. What is saddest is reading back over this I realize I am as judgemental as he is. That makes me really frustrated.