I've always said that Gratitude is Attitude.
This is very true for those who believe in the power of Manifestation and incorporate the Law of Attraction into their lives. You bring about the thing you want most by saying thank you for it in advance. That's how you leverage the Universe and show faith that whatever you ask for is one you feel you deserve and expect to come. However, this is also true in reflecting one's true nature, or the kind of mental conditioning that a person has been beset with. Whether this comes from life circumstance or from an inherent perception of the world is debatable, but the fact of the matter is, if you don't know how to act like a decent human being, then your values and morals are easily brought into question, whether you are aware of it or not. Or whether you like it or not.
This is most apparent today when I went out of our way to give some breakfast to the garbage collectors on our street of residence. Having newly moved to a new place, one of the things that I needed to get used to was the 7 am routine of garbage collectors. Why that early? Beats me. Could they have done this at least in the latter part of the morning or of the day? Yes. But then again, it was not my call and so we as responsible village residents need to bring out our trash the night before and leave it outside or have someone be there when the truck swings by. Inspired by the other residents, we decided to do something different today and prepared or rather bought these collectors breakfast for today. These consisted of sealed ramen noodles for them to add hot water to and eat at their convenience. In addition to that, I added a slice of Banana Cake for them to pair with the soup or eat it right there separately. In an effort to show appreciation for what they do as it is a job that not everyone can stomach, I decided to put in a little effort to let them know that their work is noticed and thanked for. Speaking of thanks, isn't that the basic courtesy to do when someone gives you something? Yes, you show appreciation by giving thanks. Instead of a "Thank You", the line that greeted us upon handing over the food was, "Is this clean?" Would we hand it over to you like a gift if it were not?
In hindsight, I would like to understand where that statement came from. Could it be that in their past, someone pranked them with a similar gesture only to realize that the food in question were leftovers or scraps that could not possibly be fit for human consumption? Perhaps. But upon answering the question at face value and told them that it was breakfast for them, the natural response to give thanks should've kicked in. But alas, it did not. They merely acted begrudgingly upon receiving the package and laid it on the floor of the vehicle. Why did the instinct of expressing gratitude did not automatically kick in? Who knows. But one thing I know for sure, I am not going out of my way again. I shall do my part in maintaining that I take out the trash or be at the ready when they come over, but don't look to me for extra favors. If you can't show gratitude, then it certainly reflects your attitude. Case closed.