Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-21
SUB ROSA
Rivalry Kills Friendship.
BY MIMI.

Mona is my best friend" writes
Anne, and We love each other dearly.
But I am not happy In my friendship
with her, simply because she has every
thing and I have nothing. AS soon as
] meet boy I really admire, Mona
meets two others who are much more
attractive than my man. She always
succeeds in making me feel inferior
Her clothes always seem to be better
than mine, although We have the same
amount to spend She attracts men
because she has better mind and can
entertain them. Also some people think
she is prettier than am. / long to be
Cn equal terms with her 50 she won't
always be putting things over on me.
Can you suggest any way I can make
myself equal with her, without spoil
ing our friendship"
! can't think of anything that will
spoil your friendship more effectually
than this feeling of rivalry you enter
tain for your girl friend.
Never once in your letter do ! find
any pride In your friend. her good
looks, her good taste, her accomplish
ments, her popularity.
You have evidently only envy for
her virtues and charms Where, then,
is the loyalty which is the basic part
OF every II1e00EnlpE
II Mona is your best friend, and her
clothes are better than yours on the
same aIiowance-why not 70 to her and
ask her to help you choose the right
things TO wear, since her taste Is OBJ
vlously superior to your own?
Yoa wouldn't do that. would you
because you don't want to give her the
satisfaction Of knowing that you admit
her superior In some respects to your
SELF.
Your entire attitude would destroy
any friendship. You don't really want
20 Be on an equal platform with the
lovely Mona You'd give your hat to
be Just q few planks higher so that
you'd enjoy the luxury of looking down
On her for a while. That's not the
spirit Of friendship, my girl That's
the spirit Of good 0ld-fashioned rivalry.
When q friendship is formed in
which one Of the girls is less attractive
and less popular than the other-the
outcome is questionable unless the more
unattraetive Of the two has q great
fund Of common sense.
II she possesses the intelligence and
understanding TO maintain a sincere
admiration and affection for her chum,
sae viii be the winner In the end.
For she win learn from the other
Instead Of crfticizing her TO her face
and secretly envying her. she viii ask
for help. She viii welcome all sug-
geStions
She viii rely on the stronger element
30 help her through. And in time the
equality Of which you speak 50 highly.
Anne. comes naturally and easily.
But ii does not come through des-
perate striving TO Guido another. II
comes from a sincere admiration of an
other. and an equally sincere attempts
10 achieve what another has.
With your viewpoint you can only
struggle on, envying and criticizing and
worrying until you disrupt friendship
which might have dcne you some good
Rejoice in your friends good looks
her popularity. and her charm. b
glad that you're her best friend. Do
what you can to be like her.
Don't take yourself 30 seriously tina:
you feel it's unbecoming TO your prsSe
TO ask for help.
The more help you ask, the grestel
your self-improvement.
And nothing but elf-improvemen'
vii lessen that inferior feeling OF yours
Mimi wil be glad 70 answer any inaulrie'
directed 70 this paper. provided stamped
addressed envelope Is ine1osed-