In a peaceful village lived two friends, Kavi and Maya. They were classmates and shared many adventures. Kavi was kind and hardworking, while Maya was talented but struggled with a growing shadow in her heart: envy.
One summer, the village held an annual science fair. Maya had worked incredibly hard on her model, but Kavi’s project was even more brilliant and won the grand prize. Instead of being happy for her friend, Maya felt a sharp sting of resentment. 'It should have been me,' she whispered to herself.
As days passed, Maya’s envy turned into a wall. She stopped sharing her ideas with Kavi and began to avoid his company. She spent her time thinking about why Kavi was luckier than her, instead of focusing on her own work. Slowly, her own projects suffered. She lost her creativity, and her cheerful spirit faded into a constant gloom.
One evening, her grandmother noticed her sadness. 'Maya,' she said gently, 'Envy is a fire that doesn't burn others; it only burns the vessel that holds it. You don't need an enemy to hurt you when your own jealousy is doing the work.'
Maya realized that by being jealous, she wasn't hurting Kavi; she was only hurting herself. She decided to let go. The next time Kavi achieved something, she was the first to clap. As she embraced her friend's success, the shadow lifted, and her own brightness returned.
