G. K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton (29 May 1874 – 14 June 1936) was a prolific English writer, philosopher, and lay theologian. He is known today as the creator of the fictional priest-detective Father Brown, but he wrote books on every possible topic. This was the man who wrote The Everlasting Man, which led a young atheist named C.S. Lewis to become a Christian.
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Ingratitude is surely the chief of the intellectual sins of man.
He takes his political benefits for granted,
just as he takes the skies and the seasons for granted.
The things we see every day are the things we never see at all.
I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought;
and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.
The great saint may be said to mix all his thoughts with thanks.
All goods look better when they look like gifts.
Around every corner is another gift waiting to surprise us,
and it will surprise us if we can achieve control
over our natural tendencies to make comparisons
[to things that are better rather than things that are worse],
to take things for granted [rather than imagining how much worse things would be if they weren’t there and so feeling grateful],
and to feel entitled!
(I added the italics to make it easier for me to understand this. PR)
There are two ways to get enough.
One is to continue to accumulate more and more.
The other is to desire less.
The world will never starve for want of wonders;
but only for want of wonder.
Every one on this earth should believe,
amid whatever madness or moral failure,
that his life and temperament have some object on the earth.
Every one on the earth should believe that
he has something to give to the world which cannot otherwise be given.
