I don't think anyone, alive or dead, has taught me more about heartfelt gratitude than G.K. Chesterton. Few men can say more in fewer words. I present to you, G.K. Chesterton on Christmas:
If my children wake up on Christmas morning and have someone to thank for putting candy in their stocking, have I no one to thank for putting two feet in mine? - Orthodoxy
Talk about a breath-taking Christmas dinner toast (from his dull-sounding but amazingly brilliant masterpiece, Orthodoxy)... Thanks to Iambic for making me go dig for this quote. And thanks to G.K. Chesterton for his rapier-like powers of thankful expression. And thanks to God for putting two feet in my Adidas, worn with socks, not stockings, for the record.
2 comments:
Ariel,
Chesterton is brilliant! I've re-read Orthodoxy nearly every year since I found it ten years ago. He is always irenic in his sharp arguments. Here is one of my favorite Chesterton lines: "If there were no God, there would be no atheists."
-Rustin
I agree, there isn't really anyone else like Chesterton...although C.S. Lewis was influenced by him a great deal. I found Chesterton kind of late in the game, so I still have my first rereadings to look forward to. Maybe this Christmas...
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