Giving and Receiving

The more you give people, the less grateful they are. This is not something peculiar to evil people, children, welfare recipients, other nations, or antisocials. This is human nature. What we expect, we feel we deserve, though we have done nothing for it. The child with fifty stuffed animals treasures none of them but is deeply wounded if one is taken. A nation that borders a strong ally is not grateful for its safety, but attributes it to its own policies. Drunks resent the lack of rehab beds when they decide to have a try at sobriety, as if they have been robbed, somehow.

I'm not suggesting, especially at Christmas, not to give anything to others. But be generous wisely.