#good grace

To be yourself, just yourself, is a great thing. And how does one do it, how does one bring it about? Ah, that's the most difficult trick of all. It's difficult just because it involves no effort. You try neither to be one thing nor another, neither great nor small, neither clever nor maladroit... you follow me? You do whatever comes to hand. You do it with good grace, bien entendu. Because nothing is unimportant. Nothing. Instead of laughter and applause you receive smiles. Contented little smiles - that's all. But it's everything... more than one could ask for. You go about doing the ditty work, relieving people of their burdens. It makes them happy, but it makes you much happier, do you see? Of course you must do it inconspicuously, so to say. You must never let them know what pleasure it gives you. Once they catch on to you, once they learn your secret, you are lost to them. They will call you selfish, no matter how much you do for them. You can do everything for them - literally kill yourself in harness - so long as they do not suspect that they are enriching you, giving you a joy you could never give yourself.

WWW’s Weekly Winners (September 15-21, 2019)