DEAR ABBY: I'm continually amazed by people who write to you with righteous indignation about gifts that weren't good enough, objects they feel entitled to, or inheritances that they expect to receive.
Don't these people understand the concept of a gift? A wedding (or birthday or Christmas) gift is not an obligation, it is a generosity. An inheritance is not a right; it is a choice made by the benefactors to bestow upon whomever they wish.
I get the feeling that many of your readers would lead happier lives if they would quit worrying about what they think they're entitled to, and concentrated on earning what is theirs and being grateful for the gifts they receive.
My dear grandmother (whom I prefer alive, lucid, happy and loving at the age of 85, rather than tallying whatever her estate might amount to) gave me a plaque many years ago that contains a motto to live by: "Blessed are those who expect nothing, for they will not be disappointed." -- JEFF KURTTI, LOS ANGELES
DEAR JEFF: You make a good point. The higher the level of expectation, the lower the degree of satisfaction.