I am entitled to this?

I have been thinking recently about entitlement (someone's belief that he/she is deserving of some particular reward or benefit). Take for example the following story:

I was lounging on the couch enjoying the holiday spirit with my husband's family. My feet were propped on my lover's lap and I felt relaxed and at peace with the world. My sweet nephews and nieces were dancing and jumping and playing around the room. The tree was up in all it's glory and Christmas feelings abounded. I smiled to myself enjoying the sound of children playing. Then it was time for presents. I was eagerly looking forward to the excitement of presents because Christmas always seems more enjoyable with children. My nephews and nieces shouted with glee at the prospect of presents. They hopped around looking at the presents their eyes sparkling. As the children began to open presents each one would rip into the present, glance briefly at the present happily, and then throw it to the side in search of another present. This went on for a few minutes and then there were no more presents to be opened. Frowns and furrowed brows appeared. "Where are the presents? I want to open presents!" was quickly demanded. "There are no presents left. You opened them all." was the reply. "Hmmmph! I want more presents!"

And so another Christmas giving season comes and goes. I don't really blame my nephews and nieces for their sense of entitlement. The very act of opening presents is very exciting in and of itself regardless of what the present actually is. And Christmas anticipation is building for weeks before the presents are given only to be ended quickly with a mess of paper all over the floor. And these are only children after all. And young children. Developmentally children at this age are self focused and want what they want when they want it.

The problem occurs when teens and older folks like you and I begin to develop this same attitude. Often we develop a sense of entitlement such as "you owe me this." We think life's not fair if we don't get what we want when we want it. I can't begin to tell you how often I heard "life's not fair in the big city" when I was growing up. After hearing it a few hundred times I reminded my mom that we lived in the middle of the very rural desert. Then I heard "life's not fair in the big desert." So clever that mom of mine. The line was very frustrating for me as a kid but also very true. What we want and expect often does not happen. In reading an article recently I found a quote that I really liked that applies to this very topic, "The world doesn't owe you; you owe the world!"

What do you think?