Inse had been feeling off for days. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shake the little sting of jealousy in his chest.
Jack, his best friend, had won the school science competition. His project was amazing, and Inse had to admit—Jack deserved it. But that didn’t make Inse feel any better about losing.
As they walked to school, Curity noticed Inse’s silence. “What’s up, little brother?”
“Nothing,” Inse mumbled.
Curity raised an eyebrow. “Try again.”
Inse sighed. “It’s Jack. He won, and I didn’t. I worked hard too, but it wasn’t enough.”
Curity stopped and turned to him. “Do you really think that?”
Inse kicked a rock. “It’s the truth.”
Curity smiled. “Actually, that’s the voice of insecurity talking.”
Inse looked up. “Huh?”
“The voice of insecurity makes you compare yourself to others. It tells you that if someone else wins, you lose.” Curity tapped his forehead. “But the voice of security tells a different story. It says you can celebrate Jack’s success and learn from it.”
Inse frowned. “How do I do that?”
“Ask yourself: What can I learn from Jack’s project?”
Inse thought for a moment. “Well… Jack did a ton of research. He even tested his project twice. I guess I could do that next time.”
Curity grinned. “That’s how the voice of security works! It helps you grow instead of getting stuck in jealousy.”
Later that day, they spotted Jack sitting alone at the park, staring at his science project.
“What’s up?” Inse asked.
Jack sighed. “I just realized I made a mistake in my project. It’s not going to work as well as I thought.”
Inse was stunned. “But you won!”
Jack shrugged. “Winning doesn’t mean it’s perfect.”
Curity nudged Inse. “This is your moment.”
Inse took a deep breath. “Jack, we can help you fix it. We’re good at science too!”
Jack’s face brightened. “Really?”
“Of course! We’re a team.”
For the rest of the afternoon, they worked together, fixing Jack’s mistake. By the end, his project was even better than before.
As they walked home, Inse felt something different. Not jealousy—pride.
“This whole time, I thought celebrating meant ignoring my feelings,” he told Curity. “But it’s really about focusing on what matters.”
Curity smiled. “And what matters?”
Inse grinned. “Being happy for my friends—and learning how to grow, too.”
The End.
This story highlights “3 TFM – Let the Voice of Security Be Your Guide,” teaching kids how to overcome jealousy by shifting their focus toward growth and celebration! 😊
