QUARANTINE LIFE: GRATITUDE

“Nothing is free”, I thought as I gratefully washed, cut, and stored the fruit and vegetables I brought home from the community give-away. I thought about the labor of the people who grew, tended, picked, packed, and transported it. Sometimes, people would rather give resources away than allow them to spoil or discard them. 

There are times when a need is recognized, and the thoughtful among us spring into action. 

It’s awfully good to give. 

Acts of kindness are terrific. 

No one, however, is entitled to them. 

Give people the opportunity to sow freely, and they just might. 

I wasn’t anticipating the bounty of fruit and vegetables I now enjoy. It was freely offered, and I accepted. Had there been a fee, however, it wouldn’t have diminished the value of the food, nor my excitement to have it. 

I heard a lady complaining as she perused the melons and mangoes. “They gotta do better than this”, she murmured.

It made me wonder. Do we really appreciate what we can get for free?

Perhaps it took a little while to pick through to get to the unbruised, or unblemished produce, but it was, after all, free. There is a grocery store down the street, and I’m sure even there, everything wasn’t perfect. Would the lady have complained? 

I suppose you could make demands if you’re paying for a thing. There’s an expectation of excellence. The whole scene reminded me of that “spirit” a friend mentioned the other day. Depending on how long they’ve enjoyed it, people really do begin to think they’re entitled to something for nothing.

How you approach anyone with what you want from them is key. Sadly, some people want an awful lot, but offer so little—hoping that someone will bite— that their offering is more laughable than insulting. 

“Oh. It’s not free? I didn’t know I had to pay.” It’s fascinating how easily that often uttered sentence rolls off of the tongues of people who have jobs and earn paychecks of their own. Why the disconnect, though, when it comes to the livelihoods and resources of others?

A persistent pandemic assumption, is that others should want to give and work no matter how pitiful the compensation is. Another assumption is that the opportunity, environment, and co-laborers in the work will eclipse the insult of being expected to work for nothing in return.

Behaving as if anyone owes their time, talent, expertise, or resources, isn't as much a mistake as it is an indictment on how so many are taught to view the work of others—especially creatives.

We often want results, but forget about the effort required to get them. 

The salad and mango-raspberry smoothie I’m going to enjoy today is a result of the work of someone I’ll never know or meet, but I can’t help but acknowledge the work. I didn’t hire them, and they don’t know that they worked for my good, but I’m reaping the benefits of their labor, and am grateful. I hope they were adequately paid. 🙂