Yes, the title is a mash-up of three different sayings: beggars can't be choosers, if wishes were horses beggars would ride, and don't look a gift horse in the mouth. I had a hard time with the title as it also could have been: If It's Free You Don't Have To Take It, or SERIOUSLY?!? WE WERE TRYING TO BE NICE!!!!!
My company tries to "give back" to our clients at least four times a year, always with food. We order the food and set it up and invite the clients to come and have some. It never fails, though, that one or more people are dissatisfied with what we offer and complain about it. They complain about it in emails, over the phone to our office, and sometimes to others while we're standing very near them whilst serving the food.
It is true that it would be nice if we could take into account everyone's food allergies and/or dietary issues or even that we had more variety, but it's not very plausible as we do not own a restaurant with special menu options. We try to choose food that the majority of people can eat. It's as simple as that.
I try to be kind. Really, I do. I believe I've mentioned this before. Some things set me off, though, and the longer I work with my company, the more certain phrases that so easily trip from the clients' lips immediately make me bristle. If I were something like a cat, porcupine, or skunk they'd immediately know I was irritated and they might back off. There are some people, though, that would keep going with their behavior as they feel they have a right to say what they're feeling, darn the consequences (and then sue because they got scratched, quilled, or sprayed immediately after)! Just because a person has the right to Freedom of Speech does not mean it's okay to say whatever you want because you should ALWAYS be considerate of others. If we all practiced self-restraint and self-censorship there would be less lawsuits and a much happier general population. Truth, y'all! Now I want to cover the whole ignoration of cause and effect, but that should be an entirely different post.
Back to the free food. I'm sorry that you're unhappy that we do not serve the following: sugar-free, gluten-free, your favorite flavor, a different food vendor, something to encourage you to stay on your diet, vegetarian, or something less "icky." Even though you have the right to feel disgusted or indignant about our lack of forethought of providing for your individual tastes among the hundreds of people we are feeding, and even though you have the right to freely state your opinion without getting arrested, please bite your tongue and think twice or even three times about sharing such an opinion with anyone else. Please! Now *I'm* the one who's begging.
And to all the panhandlers who have refused my offer of a $1 McDonald's voucher: you asked for money for food and this is what I offered. If you turn it down a) I won't give you cash instead and b) I probably won't offer anything to you again, either. I can't force you to use the money you receive for the purpose you wrote on your sign, but I can encourage you to use what I give you for the thing you actually asked me for. I don't want to hear you complain about how McDonald's makes you sick. Also, you're begging--so you don't get to choose what I give you, right? Next time I'll offer the voucher to one of the other panhandlers who is excited to have a chance to eat.
I need to learn to be more gracious, as well. I will strive to learn how to take compliments and not discount them. I will be happy that you gave me a gift, even if I will never use it. I will try harder to be tactful, kind, generous, happy, and loving. And instead of wishing for a better world, as wishing doesn't get you anything, I will work at making my piece of it more palatable to both myself and others.
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