Life can be hard when you are a senior. I GET IT. But trying to make other people's lives hard just because your life is hard, PURE FRUSTRATION.
People are always needing items/services/advice from me. And sometimes I am not only obligated to give it to them, but I want to - most deserve it. But then there are those times when people are just needy for the sake of having something to complain about, and I lose it.
Take a few days ago - a client was actually being so obnoxious and pushy that he actually got pushy with me - physically! So needy that he took it to the next level and was trying to move me with little shoves. The man in question here has deformed legs and a debilitating problem that causes quite a bit of pain, so had I shoved back like I wanted to (with WWF force), I probably would have put him on his ass. Which would have felt GREAT for the first 3 seconds until someone noticed and I was fired (which would have been justified and in the end I would have felt 3" tall). So I didn't. I took a deep breath and moved out of his way. If I could do it over again, I think I would add a few words about how only bullies push and that I am not available for that kind of nonsense.
Another instance - if a senior can use your phone instead of their own ("oh I am out of minutes - its so expensive"), they will. If a senior can use your pen, they will (and they will probably take it home). If a senior can get anything for free, they will (even if they don't need it!). And they will complain about why what they have doesn't work/isn't enough the whole time. I suppose I should say that not every senior does this - only the needy ones, and they probably don't know who they are...because very rarely do needy people realize they are needy. THE IRONY.
I think I am losing my own thread. So I will regroup with this great quote that I saw online the other day: "Stop complaining about what is wrong and ask for what you need". How perfect, succinct and to the point. I think it will be my mantra for seniors and myself (I can use a dose of my own medicine as well). Because what really gets me about senior neediness is not what they need - because I can usually give it to them or help them find it - but it is the complaining, whining and general unhappiness that goes along with the requests! Ask and ye shall receive, but whine and ye shall be served with a side of eye rolling and annoyance.
