Definitions HQ

Gratitude (n.) keeps ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠no account-books in marriage: like the old accountant who told the auditor "I keep the accounts in my head" — suspicious, but his accounts were right.

Gratitude (n.) owed ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to God alone: a drunk woman who fell in the street got up unaided and said, "I'm woman enough to get up by myself — but for that I thank God, and nobody else!" It is the how, not new phrases, that makes it clear.

Gratitude (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠expressed, strangely, as thanks for having helped someone stand alone when one has made him dependent — and the world appreciates such benefactions, since the true one is invisible.

Gratitude (n.) offered ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to the lover he gently refuses: “you must not thank me, but God — then even if your happiness were less than you thought, it would still be a great happiness to have thanked God for it.”

Gratitude (n.) puts ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠just enough distance between lovers for each to draw breath, when they thank God for each other.

Gratitude (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠an indirect way of taking counsel with God.

Gratitude (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠denied by the one who hides his care: he deprives the other of the very gratitude in which her soul would first find repose.

Gratitude (n.) is ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠what the bird is too poor to give: not able to pray or give thanks, it is as if non-existent for the benefactor it owes its life to.

Gratitude (n.) offered ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠as a matter of course for what one understands as profitable is a kind of pertness; the Christian asks forgiveness if he thanked too eagerly.

Gratitude (n.) comes ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠easily for good things received; what the heart cannot resist is wanting to decide for itself what counts as good.

Gratitude (n.) offered ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠to God is like a child's present to its parent: a jest, a receiving back of what one gave in the first place.

Gratitude (n.) that ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠thanks God at once for the first word, as if no more help were needed, is like interrupting a wise man to thank him, and so turning him into a fool.