Generosity & Gratitude by Yerouel
Yerouelof Bismarck's entry into Varsity Tutor's December 2018 scholarship contest
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Generosity & Gratitude by Yerouel - December 2018 Scholarship Essay
Generosity and gratitude will always lighten a sour mood. Despite the number of many qualities there are to choose from when accepting an award of this honor it would be essential that a person accepting the Nobel Prize has those two characteristics. Generosity and gratitude share a relationship that not only allows for peace within an individual but also radiates a passive peace to the surrounding environment, in such a way that it always brings positive change.
Gratitude comes first in this combination. The sort of gratitude that is being referred to it not the occasional show of gratefulness here and there, but rather, it is a grateful disposition. The importance of gratefulness is made clear in how many negative characteristics such as envy, resentment, and feelings of entitlement remain checked if not completely extinguished. These are feelings that would otherwise distance individuals from others and rob them of their joy in life. Another reason gratitude is so important is the fact that it is not instinctual or natural to have a grateful disposition. Instead, a grateful heart develops from a thoughtful mind. It is the repeated process of thinking of others which leads to gratefulness. So it would be unreasonable to believe it unnecessary to have this trait for a Nobel Prize recipient.
Generosity is defined by the idea that "there is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving." It is understood that it isn't measured in the size or value of the things given, but rather it is the idea behind a gift that makes them priceless. If a recipient did not have generosity, it would not be said that they acted out of concern for their fellow neighbor or humanity. Using their time and energy to help others is really what most Nobel Prizes are about. Hence, it should come as no surprise that someone receiving the award would already be generous.
Therefore, between being gratuitous and being generous, it would be essential that all Nobel Prize winners have those two qualities. Although it really should not be just Nobel Prize recipients that should be grateful and generous. Everyone, great or not, should make efforts to be grateful to others recognizing their value. They should be generous with their time and energy when they need to uplift a person's spirits. It is true that anyone could be a Nobel prize winner, but there is a criterion that needs to be met. The standard this committee has chosen is that of a person showing great generosity and gratitude.