--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We communicate happiness to others not…" description: "\"We communicate happiness to others not often by great acts of devotion and self-sacrifice, but by the absence of fault-finding and censure, by being re..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/adam-clarke-14388_absence_we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-o_1786334.jpg" --- # We communicate happiness to others not often by great acts… ![“We communicate happiness to others not often by great acts of devotion and self-sacrifice, but by the absence of fault-finding and censure, by being ready to sympathize with their notions and feelings, instead of forcing them to sympathize with ours.” quote by Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/adam-clarke-14388_absence_we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-o_1786334.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/adam-clarke-14388_absence_we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-o_1786334.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/adam-clarke-14388_absence_we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-o_1786334.jpg) > “We communicate happiness to others not often by great acts of devotion and self-sacrifice, but by the absence of fault-finding and censure, by being ready to sympathize with their notions and feelings, instead of forcing them to sympathize with ours.” [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Empathy is shown by refraining from judgment and sharing feelings, not by grand sacrifices. **In simple terms:** Empathy means listening without judgment. Key Takeaway Practice non‑judgmental listening. Themes empathy communication humility Mood thoughtful calm Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - friendship - team dynamics - mental health Key Concepts judgment sympathy self‑awareness Questions to Reflect On - When have you judged instead of listened? - How can you foster empathy at work? A Different Perspective Hard to avoid criticism in heated moments. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Absence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) [Censure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/censure/) [Communicate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicate/) [Communicate Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communicate-happiness-1906953/) [Devotion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devotion/) [Fault finding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fault-finding/) [Faults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faults/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Findings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/findings/) [Forcing Sympathize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forcing-sympathize-1906954/) [Happiness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happiness/) [Notion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/notion/) [Ready](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready/) [Ready Sympathize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ready-sympathize-1906956/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Self sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self-sacrifice/) [Sympathize](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathize/) [Sympathize Notions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sympathize-notions-1906955/) ## Related quotes > [“The end of the creation is that God may communicate happiness to the creature”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-end-of-the-creation-is-that-god-may-communicate-happiness-to-the/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-the-evangelist/and-why-beholdest-thou-the-mote-that-is-in-thy-brother-s-eye-but/) [Luke the Evangelist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-the-evangelist/) > [A good traveler leaves no tracks. Good speech lacks fault-finding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-good-traveler-leaves-no-tracks-good-speech-lacks-fault-finding/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love, oneness, is no separation between you and life. It is a progressive letting go, a progressive not fault finding. Just do nothing and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-brahm/love-oneness-is-no-separation-between-you-and-life-it-is-a/) [Ajahn Brahm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-brahm/) > [Remember that no talent, no self-denial, no brains, no character, are required to set up in the fault-finding business. Nothing external can have any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/og-mandino/remember-that-no-talent-no-self-denial-no-brains-no-character-are/) [Og Mandino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/og-mandino/) > [Best masters for the young writer and speaker are the fault- finding brothers and sisters at home who will not spare him, but willpick…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/best-masters-for-the-young-writer-and-speaker-are-the-fault-finding/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [“Fault finding and unkind criticism are not service either to God or to man. It is our own deeds that we must examine and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-chase/fault-finding-and-unkind-criticism-are-not-service-either-to-god-or/) [Thornton Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-chase/) > [“We all have different perspectives to life. We all do take different decisions in life each day based on our convictions. We may take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/we-all-have-different-perspectives-to-life-we-all-do-take-different/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [Never try to fault finding,always try to fact finding. B'coz NO BODY CAN PERFECT''...A:-)S.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/never-try-to-fault-finding-always-try-to-fact-finding-b-coz-no-body/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [The following story is one which he related recently regarding the practice of fault - finding among creeds: A frog lived in a well.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/the-following-story-is-one-which-he-related-recently-regarding-the/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [He has great tranquillity of heart who cares neither for the praises nor the fault-finding of men. He will easily be content and pacified,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/he-has-great-tranquillity-of-heart-who-cares-neither-for-the-praises/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [I think in order to write really well and convincingly, one must be somewhat poisoned by emotion, dislike, displeasure, resentment, fault-finding, imagination, passionate remonstrance,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edna-ferber/i-think-in-order-to-write-really-well-and-convincingly-one-must-be/) [Edna Ferber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edna-ferber/) > [He has great tranquility of heart who cares neither for the praises nor the fault-finding of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/he-has-great-tranquility-of-heart-who-cares-neither-for-the-praises/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [Most critical fault-finding, when reduced to its essentials, simply amounts to reproach of the author because he is himself -- thinks, feels, sees, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henrik-ibsen/most-critical-fault-finding-when-reduced-to-its-essentials-simply/) [Henrik Ibsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henrik-ibsen/) > [ We \[U.S.S.R. and U.S.A.\] can exist peacefully together if we don't indulge in too much mutual fault-finding in all kinds of trifles. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-stalin/we-u-s-s-r-and-u-s-a-can-exist-peacefully-together-if-we-don-t/) [Joseph Stalin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-stalin/) ## More by Adam Clarke > [Even papists could not see that a moral evil was detained in the soul through its physical connection with the body; and that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/even-papists-could-not-see-that-a-moral-evil-was-detained-in-the-soul/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [Verse 11. (They presented unto Him gifts). The people of the east never approach the presence of kings and great personages, without a present…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/verse-11-they-presented-unto-him-gifts-the-people-of-the-east-never/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [As preachers of the gospel of Jesus, do not expect worldly honors: these Jesus Christ neither took to himself, nor gave to his disciples.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/as-preachers-of-the-gospel-of-jesus-do-not-expect-worldly-honors/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [They who pray not, know nothing of God, and know nothing of the state of their own souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/they-who-pray-not-know-nothing-of-god-and-know-nothing-of-the-state/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [Many talk much, and indeed well, of what Christ has done for us: but how little is spoken of what he is to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/many-talk-much-and-indeed-well-of-what-christ-has-done-for-us-but-how/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [Now an infinite happiness cannot be purchased by any price less than that which is infinite in value; and infinity of merit can only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/now-an-infinite-happiness-cannot-be-purchased-by-any-price-less-than/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [If you be faithful, you will have that honor that comes from God: his Spirit will say in your hearts, Well done, good and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/if-you-be-faithful-you-will-have-that-honor-that-comes-from-god-his/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [To be filled with God, is a great thing; to be filled with the fulness of God, is still greater; to be filled with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/to-be-filled-with-god-is-a-great-thing-to-be-filled-with-the-fulness/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [The Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, said an eminent scholar, have God for their Author, the Salvation of mankind for their end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/the-scriptures-of-the-old-and-new-testament-said-an-eminent-scholar/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [Death to a good man is but passing through a dark entry, out of one little dusky room of his Father's house into another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/death-to-a-good-man-is-but-passing-through-a-dark-entry-out-of-one/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [If you go forward in the spirit of the original apostles and followers of Jesus Christ, trusting not in man but in the living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/if-you-go-forward-in-the-spirit-of-the-original-apostles-and/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [The words contained in it were inspired by the Holy Spirit into the minds of faithful men, called Prophets and Seers in the Old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/the-words-contained-in-it-were-inspired-by-the-holy-spirit-into-the/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [The Bible is proved to be a revelation from God, by the reasonableness and holiness of its precepts; all its commands, exhortations, and promises…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/the-bible-is-proved-to-be-a-revelation-from-god-by-the-reasonableness/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [Woe to that man who runs when God has not sent him; and woe to him who refuses to run, or who ceases to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/woe-to-that-man-who-runs-when-god-has-not-sent-him-and-woe-to-him-who/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) > [Multitudes of words are neither an argument of clear ideas in the writer, nor a proper means of conveying clear notions to the reader.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/multitudes-of-words-are-neither-an-argument-of-clear-ideas-in-the/) [Adam Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) [Explore all 47 Adam Clarke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/) ## More Absence quotes > [Distance sometimes endears friendship, and absence sweeteneth it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-howell/distance-sometimes-endears-friendship-and-absence-sweeteneth-it/) [James Howell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-howell/) > [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/) [Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/) > [Total depravity means the entire absence of holiness, not the highest intensity of sin. A totally depraved man is not as bad as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/total-depravity-means-the-entire-absence-of-holiness-not-the-highest/) [William Greenough Thayer Shedd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-greenough-thayer-shedd/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [There, in the center of that silence was not eternity but the death of time and a loneliness so profound the word itself had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toni-morrison/there-in-the-center-of-that-silence-was-not-eternity-but-the-death-of/) [Toni Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toni-morrison/) > [Of all the bewildering things about a new country, the absence of human landmarks is one of the most depressing and disheartening.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willa-cather/of-all-the-bewildering-things-about-a-new-country-the-absence-of/) [Willa Cather](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willa-cather/) > [Young men have strong passions and tend to gratify them indiscriminately. Of the bodily desires, it is the sexual by which they are most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aristotle/young-men-have-strong-passions-and-tend-to-gratify-them/) [Aristotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aristotle/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) > [The absence of God in most spheres of life is perceived to be normal, and even Christians feel it as normal - which is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/the-absence-of-god-in-most-spheres-of-life-is-perceived-to-be-normal/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Every person needs to take one day away. A day in which one consciously separates the past from the future. Jobs, family, employers, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/every-person-needs-to-take-one-day-away-a-day-in-which-one/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [“I was thinking how most people don't make you feel much of anything at all. Don't make you feel like time spent with them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lotter/i-was-thinking-how-most-people-don-t-make-you-feel-much-of-anything/) [Jane Lotter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lotter/) > [Cooperation isn't the absence of conflict but a means of managing conflict.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/cooperation-isn-t-the-absence-of-conflict-but-a-means-of-managing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [Many are observing Ferguson and witnessing the anger, demonstrations, looting and vandalism and calling for quiet. But quiet isn't enough. The absence of noise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/many-are-observing-ferguson-and-witnessing-the-anger-demonstrations/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Will capitalist economies operate at full employment in the absence of routine intervention? Certainly not. Are deviations from full employment a social problem? Obviously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-yellen/will-capitalist-economies-operate-at-full-employment-in-the-absence/) [Janet Yellen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-yellen/) > [We must begin by acknowledging that there is a complete absence of two things in Indian Society. One of these is equality. On the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-r-ambedkar/we-must-begin-by-acknowledging-that-there-is-a-complete-absence-of/) [B. R. Ambedkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-r-ambedkar/) [Browse all 2,057 Absence quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/absence/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We communicate happiness to others not often by great acts of devotion and self-sacrifice, but by the absence of fault-finding and censure, by being ready to sympathize with their notions and feelings, instead of forcing them to sympathize with ours.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Adam Clarke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-often-by-great-acts-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Absence" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-often-by-great-acts-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/adam-clarke-14388_absence_we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-o_1786334.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/adam-clarke-14388_absence_we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-o_1786334.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f25/adam-clarke-14388_absence_we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-o_1786334.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We communicate happiness to others not often by great acts of devotion and self-sacrifice, but by the…” — Adam Clarke", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Adam Clarke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-clarke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We communicate happiness to others not...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-often-by-great-acts-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-clarke/we-communicate-happiness-to-others-not-often-by-great-acts-of/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```