August 24, 2012

Hello, World!

When did an entitlement (which means a person who is either qualified or authorized to claim a right) turn into a sense of entitlement? I have been away from the world for a while, but this "sense" seems to have infected all levels of society.

Surrounding me are inmates who demand "what they got coming to them" and segments of correctional employees who never believe they are paid enough for the work they do. I will leave the discussion of the latter group to our politicians who always have the taxpayers' best interests at heart.

The weirdness of inmates who demand something is that the majority of them neither have the right to it nor are they qualified. They simply want it. A larger scoop at dinner time, a thicker mattress, newer clothes, someone else's job because it pays more. When I say "pays more," I mean by pennies.

As to jobs, usually the ones who want don't actually want to do the work. They only want to pay. Sometimes, I think it's a combination of jealousy and self-hatred. They are jealous of the other person's position and pay, and they hate themselves for their lack of discipline to either better educate themselves or exercise patience in waiting their turn. Not everyone can be king.

I feel sad for these people because they are missing out on the best part—pride in the accomplishment. It is the joy in the step-by-step journey up the ladder of knowledge and success that is the lasting reward. Who enjoys the view from the top of the mountain more: the person who struggles to put one foot after the other, persevering through difficult times, or the one who is set there by a helicopter? And with this scenario, the one who did the work will make it back home. The others, they will stand there not knowing what to do next.

Oh the irony. As a young man, I wanted that quick, undeserved lift to the top. I wanted to be king. Sadly, as a fool, I was not worthy to be the court jester. With the passage of time, a long hard journey, some education, and a kind teacher named Christ, I am overwhelmingly grateful for the view.

Those with a sense of entitlement will always surround us, but for them, they will never have enough of what they believe they got coming to them. Their elevated positions are empty and any rewards, whether acclaim or financial, will never last.

So pity the fool and applaud the trekker.

Thanks for checking in on me.

Cordially,
[signature]
Gregory Barnes Watson
D-67547 C-14-104-U
PO BOX 409060
Ione, CA 95640

Novel: A Thundering Wind
https://www.amazon.com/Thundering-Wind-Gregory-Barnes-Watson/dp/0615379443