A Little Happier: How, in my own life, do I live up to the highest ideals of the United States?
Reading Harold Nicolson’s reflection about what an Englishman would do reminds me of that question, in my own life — which is a question for us all.
Here’s the entire passage that I read from Harold Nicolson’s Diary of June 10, 1941, when he was working at the wartime Ministry of Information:
The Middle East have no sense of publicity. The Admiralty is even worse. We complain that there are no photographs of the sinking of the Bismarck. Tripp says that the official photographer was in the Suffolk and that the Suffolk was too far away. We say, ‘But why didn’t one of our reconnaissance machines fly over the ship and take photographs?’ He replies, ‘Well you see, you must see, well upon my word, well after all, an Englishman would not like to take snapshots of a fine vessel sinking.’ Is he right? I felt abashed when he said it. I think he is right.
I’ve read that story dozens of times, and I choke up every time I read it. “An Englishman would not like to take snapshots of a fine vessel sinking.” What does that tell us about the English at that time, and their view of themselves, and their ideals — and how they felt compelled by those ideals, even under the most extreme conditions?
If you’d like to get the “Moment of Happiness,” my free daily email newsletter with a quotation about happiness or human nature, sign up here.
If you’d like to read my biography of Winston Churchill, Forty Ways to Look at Winston Churchill, you can learn more here. What a joy it as to write that book! What a subject.
Want to get in touch? I love hearing from listeners:
Comment below
Email us: podcast@gretchenrubin.com
Connect on Twitter: @gretchenrubin and @elizabethcraft
Call: (77 HAPPY 336)
Comment on my Facebook Page
Sign up to get an email alert whenever we release a new episode
Happier listening!
The post A Little Happier: How Do I Live Up to the Highest Ideals of My Country? appeared first on Gretchen Rubin.