Comparison is the Thief of Happiness

It happens to me throughout the day, every day - unconsciously comparing what I don't have to what I do.

In a formal context, it started with new furniture, years ago.
At the time I had acquired every piece of furniture in my possession for free or fewer than twenty dollars. That made me proud.

It evolved to yard-envy.
For the bulk of my children's lives, we haven't had one. I often wonder if it has contributed negatively to their personal senses of well-being and relaxation, but it has remained out of reach and we survive.

More recently, it reared when a friend asked me to sign as witness to his will.
I don't have a will, nor can I manage the legal fees that would make a smart one. It doesn't really matter if it's a one-time fee until my assets, uh, materialize - I just can't make myself pay for definitions of me.

I've never particularly cared about having a car younger than my children....
.....though I do fantasize that a newer car would need less service.

The real thief of my contending daily happiness, however, is something much more mundane, something that seemingly constantly changes on the faces of people I see.

That thief is glasses. Mostly, getting new glasses.

I've been wearing the same glasses for at least seven years (that's as far back as my Facebook goes, where photos of me are conveniently archived and reveal as such). Yes, my prescription has changed, and yes I have had it checked twice in that time. Glasses are expensive, like plane ticket expensive, or half a year of car insurance expensive, or two months of groceries expensive. I've opted for the lower-cost of contacts a couple of times, but then there's the more regular expense of those and the annual eye exams to keep them in stock.

When I acquired private pay health insurance a year ago, having a vision exam benefit was one of my most important criteria. Having needed glasses since the age of 7 informed that choice. Having children blessed with perfect vision made routine eye maintenance less visible. When it comes down to it, it's fairly easy to wear old glasses and not buy plane tickets. It's less easy to function without car insurance and groceries. Making do with the glasses one has perpetuates itself easily.

This is where the thief of happiness plot thickens. When you've spent hours navigating and comparing health insurance benefits, there's an additional thief of happiness on the horizon - it's the thief that makes you choose one aspect of wellness over another. It's the thief that reasons that less expensive specialist co-pays are an asset when you need to see a specialist on a regular basis.
And when health insurance premiums rise, it's the thief that comes back for more when it doesn't feel like there's more to be taken, just when you were happy you were affording health insurance at all.