Every physician almost hath his favorite disease.
—Henry Fielding—
We wouldn’t go to a dentist for corns or bunions, just as we wouldn’t go looking for fresh fruit at a hardware store. By and large, we know where to go for what we want. Why is it, then, that we persist in asking something from one who cannot give it?
We recognize unreasonable demands when we meet them, but not always when we make them. Parents expect mature judgment from young children; children expect saintly patience or flexibility from their parents. Commonly, we expect our friends and lovers to show us their loyalty and affection without our asking.
Reality teaches us that if we want something, we should go to a likely source and ask for what we want. If we’re not willing to ask, we’ll have to settle for every physician’s favorite treatment—whether or not we have the disease.
Today I’ll remember to ask for what I want from an appropriate source.