ABSTRACT
When asked, most people would vehemently disagree with the statement, “If you really love me, you’d be jealous.” Some quite forcefully argue that jealousy is a selfish reaction to perceived threat and loss, indicative of poor self-esteem, possessiveness, and a lack of trust rather than a sign of true love. Despite this widespread belief, however, who among us can honestly say that we have never experienced the bitter sting of jealousy? And if the statement above is reversed, can it be possible (or desirable) to truly love someone and not
experience any jealousy at all? Why does it seem difficult, even impossible, to eliminate jealous feelings? On the other hand, would we really want to? Perhaps a better question would be: Why do we even question the validity of our jealousy in the first place?
