YOU GET WHAT YOU GET...

People want what they want.
If they get it for nothing, it is called "a Gift".
If they expend energy, it is called "Guerdon".
But it is what happens when people don't get what they want that interests me. This is a true measure of character.
When the effort is great, the potential for disappointment becomes greater. To strive for something in the face of failure is a beautiful thing to attempt. So that even in failure, we experience triumph, in a way. We do not always get what we want...but we do receive something for the effort.
But not all people see "Gifts" or "Guerdon" this way.
To expect something for nothing, or to expend minimal energy and demand maximum reward, seems to be a cancer that is spreading in the body we call Society. I cannot prove this, but what I read, see & hear appears to support this. This saddens me because I have come to believe that the joy in Life comes from the doing...not the getting.
It is impossible to be selfish & happy at the same time.