Ungratefulness by Dr. Juan Harrison

We’re spoiled; I admit it.  Not long ago I couldn’t get a large drink cup at my drive thru.  Several other restaurants suffered the same fate.  At times no tater tots.  My wife couldn’t get cheese on her burger at another drive thru.  We order smaller sizes, and they send us bigger ones.  We make our grocery pick-up and have items dribble in by boxes delivered by people later because they weren’t available at the store.

These aren’t oxygen tanks or insulin.  Yet, experiencing shortages begins to gnaw at the very foundation of our belief that we should be able to get what we want when we want it.  I told you I once was put on a 2-year waiting list for a phone in my little German village.  Everything is relative.

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What has marked our country’s ability to provide almost anything instantly now shows cracks in our vulnerability.  We’re starting to look a lot like Europe.  I learned not to get into a hurry for basic services.  What we’ve taken for granted has been envied as the Huns have pounded on the gate saying, “Let me in.”  I almost laugh at the ignorance of individuals in our country who have taken advantage of all our blessings yet berated and belittled the very things that have made our country the jewel of the world as we welcome one and all.  The Bible laments the ungrateful child.  A time or two you and I may have gritted our teeth and bit our tongues as we saw even people close to us taking everything for granted and whining about something.

Sometimes I wonder if everything has changed permanently, or is this just a temporary blip on the radar of life.  Us old guys have seen the lean and the mean.  We’ve fought the rough and the tough and are still standing.  We haven’t asked for handouts or freebies.  We’ve worked hard and just want the benefits we’ve worked for.  Sometimes when you’re trying to talk to a younger and you feel like you’re talking to the wall, join the crowd.  It’s almost like the generations may speak different languages.  They want it now with no excuses.

Most of us noticed as we neared the end of our careers that we could sense the youngers pushing us older guys toward greener pastures.  It almost seems they have forgotten or don’t know of the service and commitment we gave to our jobs.  There seems to be little gratefulness.  We have to be satisfied with the knowledge we did the best we could during our time of service.  Rather than getting aggravated that our employers may not have been sufficiently appreciative of our lifetime of efforts, we need to head into retirement with a short memory and great anticipation of the world of grandparenting and sticky kisses worth more than what we worked for all those years before.

By Dr. Juan Harrison