The small wisdom is like water in a glass: clear, transparent, pure. The great wisdom is like the water in the sea: dark, mysterious, impenetrable.
Rabindranath TagoreRead
Bees sip honey from flowers and hum their thanks when they leave. The gaudy butterfly is sure that the flowers owe thanks to him.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Bees appreciate the flowers they visit, while butterflies wrongly think the flowers should be grateful to them.
This quote reflects on the relationship between nature's creatures and the elements they interact with. It highlights the genuine gratitude of bees who benefit from flowers without ego, contrasting it with the arrogance of butterflies, who mistakenly believe they are the ones owed gratitude. This serves as a metaphor for humility and the value of appreciating contributions rather than assuming entitlement.
Themes
BeesGratitudeFlowersNatureHumility
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about teamwork, you can use this quote to emphasize the importance of acknowledging everyone's contributions.
More from Rabindranath Tagore
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True deliverance of man is the deliverance from Avidya i.e. ignorance. It is not in destroying anything that is positive and real, for that cannot be possible, but that which is negative, which obstructs our vision of truth.
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The same stream of life that runs through my veins night and day runs through the world and dances in rhythmic measures. It is the same life that shoots in joy through the dust of the earth in numberless blades of grass and breaks into tumultuous waves of leaves and flowers.
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If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars.
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To be outspoken is easy when you do not wait to speak the complete truth.
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