The other day in class, on the topic of Chaucer’s Parliement of Fowls, my professor went into one of his interesting monologues about a reward system which often appears unfair. Although he applied his theory to the artist, it is, of course, applicable to other roles and situations in life. It is the opinion that one may do a certain quantity of work and think it worth a certain reward, only to receive a compensation that disappoints their expectations. In other words, what one thinks is due them may not necessary be what is actually rewarded them. 

I thought I understood what my professor meant but felt it had very little to do with the Paliament of Fowls, until rereading the poem gave me another perspective of the female eagle’s dismissal of the love proposals of the three male eagles: who, each, wanted for a sweetheart. Despite their display of great affections, their humiliating quarrels amongst themselves which upset the other birds, as well as, their passionate pleading with the female eagle to be merciful to them, none got what he wanted. And so it is with our world also.

We don’t always get what we hope for. Personally I think this is excellent. I mean, we don’t always know enough to want what is best for us. And sometimes, even when we know what is best, we desire that which corrupts. There have been many moments in life when I thought I wanted something only to obtain it and wish otherwise. The opposite is true, too. 

But let’s get back to the part of asking and receiving. I grew up on the Biblical notion that to ask is to be words away from receiving. Thus to ask and not receive is to be undeserving. I remember talking to a friend some time back, whom, also confused about not always getting what she had prayed for, says to me, but it is said “Ask and thou shall receive.” In other words why am I not getting what I have continually requested? I did not have an answer for her then. Now I think I have something: It is not that it is guaranteed that we shall receive what we request, but that we have a better chance of having our wishes met when we demand what we desire. So it is not “ask and ye shall receive,” but rather “ask and ye might receive.” Nevertheless, it seems also true that we sometimes get what we hoped for but do not recognize it  because we didn’t really know what we sought in the first place.

As my professor put it, “It is not specified how many times we must ask, just as it is not said in what ways we may be rewarded: directly, indirectly, immediately, not immediately, etc.” So is it the same with you, too, that sometimes when you cease being active in pursuing something then it falls into your lap? 

Perhaps if we really desire something we must repeatedly seek ways of acquiring it until until we ha it in our grasp. Or until we understand what we desire so well that when we do receive it we are able to recognize it. It goes back to an example I got in another class on this same topic of asking: it spoke of a man whom upon finding his house burning, screams fire! fire! Until people came and helped him put out the fire. The point being, when you really wish for something you ought to be very active in pursuing it until it is obtained. The efforts we invest into acquiring what we desire suggests how much it means to us.

The catch then is the might. Meaning that although all is possible nothing is guaranteed. It is also  necessary to understand that what we seek does not always desire us, or may not even be what we truly need. So how much do you really want it? How much are you willing to put up for it? How would it improve you? Could it hurt you? Is it significant to your wellbeing? Also would the request or work to acquire this thing not be in of itself a reward? 

— 
J. A. Odartey