Since we humans are generally insecure in our identities and ambivalent towards personal power and the responsibilities it brings, we have devised the concepts of 'ownership' and 'property'.

What do these concepts actually mean? Well, I don't really know. Even lawyers well versed in unusable abstract concepts have a hard time defining them.

On the bright side, these concepts can be used for sharing and managing responsibility, with more or less success.

On the dark side, when abused, self-identity is tied down with the things owned, and can generate fear and hostility out of the compartmentalized world view it creates - you are judged by what you own.

When applying the concepts of 'ownership' and 'property' to inanimate (or less animate) objects and abstractions, the problematic situation that arises can be grave.

However, when applying these concepts to fellow human beings, the situation becomes outright fucked up.

Slavery, the physical ownership of fellow humans is thankfully abolished in most parts of the world. (The worldwide fad of today is consumerism and the ownership/control of the mind.)

Probably the hardest to overcome is emotional ownership - jealousy.

I like to believe that human beings are sovereign identities; beautiful, powerful, and independent. Jealousy heavily interferes with this belief of mine because it prefers the illusionary security of emotional dependence to standing tall in your own power.

Jealousy reduces the beautiful concepts of 'sharing' and 'growing closer' to fearful manipulation of emotions.

How to overcome jealousy?

Let things go. Let the pathways of ownership in your mind open up; replace ownership with co-existence!

You *are*, you don't own. You are a steward even within yourself. If you acknowledge that, you become able to Love.

Whatever are your chosen forms of relationships and interaction with other humans, please try not to look at them as things to be owned - see, accept, and share their beauty as your own!