Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.
-- Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Wow, what a cynical thing to say. I hope this was said by a fictional character, for a person must have had a poor life indeed to never had felt any real gratitude for anything.
I remember when I was around 7 or 8, all summer we went to the beach every day, we had a very nice beach nearby, all light sand, no stones etc. But I was afraid of getting my head under the water. A pal of mine, a year or two older, coached me into getting used to it, and swimming under the water became one of the most fun things I ever did. I got so extremely grateful to him that I kept saying I Love You to him, something Scandinavians are not wont to, being a very reserved people. I had to stop that since it embarrassed him. But that was real gratitude, somebody had really enhanced my life. And I certainly did not have any "hope of further favors", what would that be, teaching me mountain climbing? (In Denmark! Haha, the tallest place is like 1500 feet.)
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1 comment:
Eolake said...
"Gratitude is merely the secret hope of further favors.
-- Francois de La Rochefoucauld
Wow, what a cynical thing to say."
Very! Well and...perhaps, that might apply...to a dog! lol! :-D
Reminds me of what some say re: tithing: basically, they seem/tend to think that tithing will "pave the road" for "good times" ahead; and, yet, not a single breath is guaranteed us, in this life...no matter how hard we "work" for it...which is the reminder that I have to visit, when I feel like I might have an "edge" on this CRAZY life we are given! It's, definitely, a "humbler" to be reminded of such an "elementary" part of life.
"I hope this was said by a fictional character, for a person must have had a poor life indeed to never had felt any real gratitude for anything."
It reminds me of the mindset of a certain type of person who expects others to be responsible for them...like they've had "hand outs" all their life and they never figured out how to survive on their own; and...why should they not expect to have such a mindset, if they never had to "reach"/"struggle"/"work" to obtain such a thing? :-(
"I remember when I was around 7 or 8, all summer we went to the beach every day, we had a very nice beach nearby, all light sand, no stones etc. But I was afraid of getting my head under the water. A pal of mine, a year or two older, coached me into getting used to it, and swimming under the water became one of the most fun things I ever did. I got so extremely grateful to him that I kept saying I Love You to him,"
I remember you sharing this cute story, before. :-)
"...something Scandinavians are not wont to, being a very reserved people."
Sad. I wonder if it is "reserved" or, rather, "proud" and "hardened" ("calloused") by an ancestry of a pretty "tough" people. Much to do about "survival," etc. and, yet, that would seem to include most of the planet's ancestors! lol!
I always wondered about that, in my own family. NEVER heard those 3 words uttered, together. I had not considered that it might, perhaps, be a part of the heritage. It still would have been nice to have heard it, once in awhile, as, when uttered by someone that you love, it gives a rather pleasurable feeling...like none other. :-D
"I had to stop that since it embarrassed him. But that was real gratitude, somebody had really enhanced my life."
Yes...very nice "gift" that he gave you. :-)
"And I certainly did not have any "hope of further favors", what would that be, teaching me mountain climbing? (In Denmark! Haha, the tallest place is like 1500 feet.)"
You're FUNNY...but right! :-D
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