Thanks with a bunch of flowers

By Klaus Döring

Well, this won’t happen every day and needs a special reason indeed.

Just this morning, one of my good friends voiced out, “I didn’t get a lot of thanks for doing it”. … Honestly, nowadays it’s really difficult to get even a simple thank you … .

“Somebody comes to my place and drinks a lot. I just keep on roaring and flowing and remain happy during my whole life, because I can give and give and share … even without gratitude!” (Historical fountains saying in Regensburg/Bavaria/South Germany).

“Being in the making means being thankful forever!” What a meaningful quotation in German poet’s Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s drama “Faustus” from 1831 – but, how very far away from today’s reality.

When did you, my dear reader, say THANK YOU recently? I don’t mean it as in a disgracing phrase, no, but such as an honest attitude, to which we are all susceptible.

“The Pharisee stood apart by himself and prayed: … God, I thank you that I am not like that (corrupt?) tax collector over there!” (Luke 18, 11). “What’s more transient than gratitude?” asked the German poet Friedrich Schiller (1759-1805) in his drama “Don Carlos”.

Gratitude or thankfulness in our daily surroundings: many times it’s just forgotten, because we treat sacrifices, services and even the smallest relief without saying it as only natural and take it as a matter of course.

Many of our leaders on earth forgot that they only got their position because of our trust and voting. Thankfulness? For goodness sake, just let’s be patient and wait for it. I even couldn’t care less if the grumpy taxi driver isn’t able to say a simple “thanks” after I paid my fare including a small tip.

Benjamino Gigli (1890-1957), a member of a church choir, who studied singing/chanting in Rome and who performed on most all known stages and in concert halls in Italy and later in North America and the whole world and became a legitimated successor of the great Italian tenor Enrico Caruso expressed this:

“After 41 years, when I said GoodBye to my stage performances, I found this: Me, the son of a poor Italian shoemaker, could enjoy all sweet fruits of success and popularity. Kings and presidents became my friends. Millions of people gave me their appreciation and applause. But, I know very well that everything is a gift of God: MY VOICE. I have never forgotten to thank Him for this”.

Having a claim on something, jealousy and envy are a real sibling trio, which plans to settle down in the place of the forgotten gratitude to say THANK YOU. Only those who know how to thank are able to praise the Lord.

+++

Email: doringklaus@gmail.com or follow me on Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www.klausdoringsclassicalmusic.blogspot.com .