The title of my post as well as its content will certainly surprise, even if there is no reason to refuse to talk about greeting cards in April!
As you will certainly have understood, the greeting card is only a pretext to introduce a slightly more “serious” subject, namely the expectations that we place in our interlocutors.
Let me quickly return to my greeting cards. For several years now and as an example, about 80% of my little messages sent in the middle of December have not received any comments, replies or signs of life from the recipients.
From this point on, one can take the subject from various angles which are naturally a little provocative:
In a negative way, one could say that the recipients:
• … no longer want to hear from you.
• … no longer have the courtesy to at least give a sign of life.
• … feel that you are of no use to them.
Conversely, we can also assume that the recipients of your modest cards:
• … have much more important things to do.
• … they had run out of stamps at home or lost your address.
• … that they like you, but in a different way.
• … that the next time, they will reply!
I am leaning towards the positive version. Besides, I send greetings not to receive them back, but because it makes me happy to send them… Ah, how selfish of me!
On a more serious note, it is interesting to see the change that has taken place over the last ten years or so in responses and follow-up to cases and files. Suppliers, companies, colleagues, and friends expect you to follow up if they don’t move. It seems to be a fashion, or a game, to wait for your partner to act. Procrastination has become a sport for some people: “Why is this one getting excited?
The total ambivalence must be noted - which does not seem to shock many people - between being a demander and an actor. The same person will be boundlessly impatient and arrogant when in the client’s position but will know how to make the other person wait or “turn around” when he is the provider.
Is it to do as little as possible? I naively believe not. Perhaps it is simply a change of era that we must deal with. To believe that it is a generational problem would be totally wrong.
Indeed, and this is very encouraging, many young people are available, friendly, respond quickly to requests and bring an enthusiasm that is a pleasure to see. On the other hand, some “old-timers” have become real reactionaries to the system and to the good life together, as if they were jealous.
In the meantime, I will continue to write my greeting cards and I am already looking forward to the 20% who will answer me. Isn’t life beautiful?
Have a good week, good thoughts and see you soon.