You owe me this… or maybe not

Yessss, we talk about  entitlement mentality everyday, yet, it still roams about. Entitlement sticks more than glue, everyone thinks they deserve something from others. If I post your birthday picture, you should post mine. If I check up on you, you should check up on me, if I'm there when you need me, you should be there in my time of need; no matter the obstacle. More like the phrase “you scratch my back, I scratch yours” is now everyone’s mantra.

But hey, don't get me wrong, I'm not here to educate you on how to avoid being petty. No, I won't be the kettle calling the pot black, because it would be a transgression against truth and self-awareness to say I'm entirely lacking of pettiness.

Who doesn’t want their love to be reciprocated? Who doesn’t want to receive kindness as a result of being kind? Now, no hands are raised. Everyone loves to be loved, everyone wants that assurance that someone has their back, that someone is there for them even when the light at the end of the tunnel is turned off or dimmed out. Despite cautioning against the pitfalls of entitlement mentality, it’s important that we don’t go off with the narrative that you owe no one nothing.

Parents, for instance, look at their children as people that will not forget to reciprocate their love; they invest their hearts and souls into their children, nurturing them with the expectation of reciprocal love and gratitude. So, now, you want to tell them that they are too expectant and the fruits of their labour are not for free? To dismiss their hopes as mere entitlement is to overlook the sacrifices they've made. Would you tell a friend that they no longer deserve your friendship because you've outgrown them? Or a sibling that their support throughout your journey is now null and void?

Nooo, you do owe some people in your life, but no one owes you a dime. Now, don’t get confused. Yes, You have obligation to some people but nobody is obligated to you. It's about striking a balance between acknowledging those who've supported us and recognizing that we can't expect the same level of commitment from everyone. Expecting too much from others can lead to heartbreak and disappointment, akin to a child fixating on one favored toy when there's a whole toy chest to explore.

Be good to others, returning favors where we can, but let's also release the grip of entitlement. You don’t get things because you deserve it, everything is not about you, you are not entitled to that bill, to that luxury. Instead, let's embrace gratitude and humility, and cultivate a spirit of kindness that transcends expectations.