Doing things Quote by Jonathan Safran Foer
““Mother is a humble woman. Very, very humble. She toils at a small café one hour distance from our home. She presents food and drink to customers there, and says to me, "I mount the autobus for an hour to work all day doing things I hate. You want to know why? It is for you, Alexi-stop-spleening-me! One day you will do things for me that you hate. That is what it means to be a family." What she does not clutch is that I already do things for her that I hate. I listen to her when she talks to me. I resist complaining about my pygmy allowance. And did I mention that I do not spleen her nearly so much as I desire to? But I do not do these things because we are a family. I do them because they are common decencies. That is an idiom that the hero taught me. I do them because I am not a big fucking asshole. That is another idiom that the hero taught me.””
About This Quote
Source Novel: Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close by Jonathan Safran Foer, 2005
Family duties are performed out of decency, not obligation; love is expressed through humble service.
In simple terms: Family acts come from kindness, not duty.
Key Takeaway
Practice humility and service in relationships.
Themes
family
humility
service
decency
Mood
reflective
empathetic
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- daily chores
- caregiving
- volunteering
Key Concepts
psychology
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- Why do we give without expecting gratitude?
- How can we balance self‑care with family duties?
A Different Perspective
May overlook personal boundaries and resentment.
