I turned on the pillow with a little moan, and at this juncture Jeeves entered with the vital oolong. I clutched at it like a drowning man at a straw hat.
P. G. WodehouseRead
As we grow older and realize more clearly the limitations of human happiness, we come to see that the only real and abiding pleasure in life is to give pleasure to other people.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True happiness comes from bringing joy to others rather than seeking it for oneself.
This quote reflects the idea that as we mature, we understand that the pursuit of personal happiness can be fleeting and limited. Instead, we find lasting fulfillment and joy through acts of kindness and generosity, bringing happiness to those around us, which ultimately enriches our own lives.
Themes
HappinessGivingPleasureOthersLife
In practice
Example use cases
This quote could be used in a motivational speech about community service.
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Memories are like mulligatawny soup in a cheap restaurant. It is wiser not to stir them.
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It was a confusion of ideas between him and one of the lions he was hunting in Kenya that had caused A. B. Spottsworth to make the obituary column. He thought the lion was dead, and the lion thought it wasn't.
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Surely everyone is aware of the divine pleasures which attend a wintry fireside; candles at four o'clock, warm hearthrugs, tea, a fair tea-maker, shutters closed, curtains flowing in ample draperies to the floor, whilst the wind and rain are raging audibly without.
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The master never seemed to have his fill of gazing at his firstborn child. "What do you want him to be when he grows up?" someone asked. "Outrageously happy," said the master.
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I have just one day, today, and I'm going to be happy in it.
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Love, compassion and concern for others are real sources of happiness. If you have these in abundance, you will not be disturbed even by the most uncomfortable circumstances. If you nurse hatred, however, you will not be happy even in the lap of luxury. Thus, if we really want happiness, we must widen the sphere of love. This is both religious thinking and basic common sense.
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