I hate ingratitude more in a man than lying, vainness, babbling, drunkenness or any taint of vice whose strong corruption inhabits our frail blood"
William Shakespeare
Just as we are conversant with the word "gratitude", we are all well acquainted with the antonym, "ingratitude".
Virtually every day, from our morning meditations and prayers, depending on the route we employ individually, to connect with the invisible being, we use the word "grateful".
Even at work, we say thanks as many times as possible. When we go for lunch, we tip waiters as a way of appreciating their service. For those that have the means or those with the giving attitude.
For Christians, there is an obligation to pay tithes. That's a way of appreciating or showing gratitude to the source that has provided the material resources on which we live.
Despite the customary, legal, and religious compliance with the norm of gratitude, many people are ingrates. I am forced to recall the proverbial fowl in Professor Chinua Achebe's "Things Fall Apart"- the grateful fowls, even as animals.
There is a difference: while Professor Achebe, opined according to Ibo adage that "the fowl does not forget the man that pulled off its feathers during the rainy season", these breed of "human fowls" not only show ingratitude to the man that pulled off their feathers during the rainy season, they sometimes go the extra mile to undo the man or woman.
In my lifetime, I have read books that condemned ingratitude. Certain literature concerning life in Liliput stated that "ingratitude was an offense punishable by death". (Ngugi Wa Thiong).
Notwithstanding, I have been in a gathering where a man narrated the story of the establishment of an institution without any credit to the main actor(s) in the process.
I have also seen a brother who publicly did not acknowledge the role his elder brother played in his rise even while the elder brother was also in the gathering and we were privileged to know the contributions of the brother to his growth.
In extreme cases, these sets of people form unholy alliances against their proteges and if you're not strong enough they unseat you from your position, ridicule you, or mess you up completely one way or another.
Something must be at the root of this type of behavior.
"It is a manifestation of bloated ego, arrogance, and self, that is at best self-destructive".
"The morale in this post is that we should be properly guided. While it is very good and rewarding to do good, do not expect anyone you have helped to come back to reward you. It is a misapplication of wisdom".
It is important to properly evaluate the people you help. According to a write-up, I read, "You should be careful the dogs you feed because some are looking for strength to bite you".
Again while helping others, always redouble your efforts to help yourself, to advance, to build structures no matter how little, to support your future growth and development.
We must not leave anything to chance because the truth is that our destinies lie in our hands.
It is not even enough to train your children very well and expect them to come back and take care of you at old age. While some may, the others may not. We are responsible for our lives until our last day on earth.
