"Gratitude changes the pangs of memory into a tranquil joy"
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer
About this Quote
In this quote, Dietrich Bonhoeffer suggests that appreciation has the power to transform painful memories into a tranquil joy. He indicates that by being grateful for what we have actually experienced, we can find a sense of satisfaction and peace, even in the middle of tough or uncomfortable memories. This point of view encourages us to focus on the positive aspects of our past, instead of house on the unfavorable. By selecting to be grateful, we can move our viewpoint and discover a sense of peace and delight in our memories, instead of being consumed by the pain they may bring.
"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us"
"If future generations are to remember us more with gratitude than sorrow, we must achieve more than just the miracles of technology. We must also leave them a glimpse of the world as it was created, not just as it looked when we got through with it"
"There are minds so impatient of inferiority that their gratitude is a species of revenge, and they return benefits, not because recompense is a pleasure, but because obligation is a pain"
