Common Courtesy

It was one of those rare excursions to church when i heard the minister preached something that struck me. He gave an analogy of what it is to take things in life for granted and to assume that whatever service ceded by others will always be there for the selfish ambitions of the heart.

Envisage one day a person came knocking on someones door and held out to them a hundred dollar bill. Initially, they question the purpose of this in bewilderment and in return, he says that it is purely out of goodwill and amity. Ordinarily, a person would be exceedingly indebted and appreciative, showing the greatest gestures of gratitude to acknowledge this. The following day, there came another knock. Opening the door, they find the gentleman again with an outstretched hundred dollar bill. Now imagine this occurring repetitively for the next few months or so everyday.

Then the day came when the man failed to appear at the accustomed time. In fact, he did not appear for the rest of the day and the next and the next. Then there they are! Strucked down with anger and disappointment. Cursing the man without realising that they did not deserve to be in receipt of the money in the very first place. They have taken for granted the favour and instead transformed the goodwill of the man into something that is expected and deserving for themselves.

Perhaps i complain too much, actually i do. But sometimes it is the accumulation of the trifling little things that magnifies the exasperation. It is the recurrence of their actions that fully drives me crazy. It is amazing how self-opportune one may be. Asking for change from others so that you do not have to break your note while others cop the difference? Proclaiming you are going to return a favour but hiding in the back bleachers when the favour is due? It is not really the favour being rendered. But after all that declaration of the suppossedly generosity could it be a little less talk more action please? I can close my eye and overlook this. I have done it before and i have done it many times. But for the span of more than a year, i have had enough. I am not interested in the inane and vague concessions that is promised in the also vague future. What baloney.

Sorry my thoughts have meandered the premise of readers of this post. The point aimed to be drawned here is Hey, people can relish things in life. All they need to know is to appreciate, contribute and acknowledge it and to know that it comes at the expense of someone else who is willing to give them that leverage.