Entitlement Vs. Responsibility

Thanks to @shadowspub for this Quote of the Day prompt which set me in a deep reflective mood this morning. It was a rainy weekend and you know what that means - cool morning, wet and muddy roads! As I hurried to my work place this morning, I became irritated and sort of annoyed with the muddy roads.

I noticed that the weather since the beginning of this year has been off the charts! Sometimes, it gets freezing cold then after some days it becomes unbearably hot. Effects of global warming. One thing that is constant through these changing weather and times is our disapproval, irritation and complaints.

^Source

People have one or two things to say about the weather. We feel good when the weather is cool, cranky when it becomes hot and uncomfortable when it becomes cold.

The insightful words of Helen Keller are touching and call for gratitude in all circumstances. Is that so hard? Well, it may be for us but in principle it should not be. We have been blessed with so much that we should not waste precious time thinking of the things we have been denied.

This brings me to the word - entitlement. I came across a young man today and if I am to guess his age, I am sure he would be around late teens to early twenties. He was well dressed, had on a backpack and his hair was curled and stylishly trimmed. He walked up to me to beg for money, saying he had not eaten all day.

To say I was shocked would be an understatement but because I did not want to get into any form of conversation with a stranger, I shook my head meaning No and he moved on to the next person. I can't claim to have it all but I see that this young man appeared hale and hearty and fit. Why could he not go get a job like the rest of us?

^Source

I see this as a feeling of entitlement especially amongst our youth. We have been blessed with resources, health and vitality to work and earn something. Why not make the best of it? There is dignity in labor, as I have been taught.

I hear some individuals make comments such as,

I asked my uncle for some money and all he could send was a miserly N5000 (approximately $14)!

I am baffled. Really? That is entitlement which often breeds ingratitude. What some individuals do not realize is that nobody owes you any obligation to care for you once you turn 18. In fact, some individuals who are younger than 18 are emancipated and caring for others as well. That's responsibility and maturity.

It is time to step up. Sometimes, we dwell on the things we feel we have been denied by life. Do not focus on the losses. Admire the gains. Appreciate the achievements you have made so far. Be grateful for the things you have been blessed with because those things you kind of see as not enough are what some people would give a limb to get.

Have a great day! Thank you for visiting my blog.