The man who finds the smell is the one who sniffs. – Nicholas Monsarrat, Smith and Jones
Nicholas Monsarrat (1910-79) was a British naval officer and writer. Though a pacifist, he served Britain honorably in the Navy, attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. After the war he served in Her Majesty’s diplomatic corps and, in fact, the book today’s Thought is taken from is about two diplomats who defect, though the book was read so long ago that is about all we remember. This is Monsarrat’s first appearance in this feature, though this quote previously appeared in the Quotebook segment of The Daily Dose.
The ones who get on in this life, who find the success they were looking for, are the ones who go and look for it, who, in the context of today’s Thought, do the sniffing, relentlessly following its trail.
And, as we are fond of noting here whenever we have the chance, it doesn’t really matter what you go sniffing for. The scents you find agreeable may not appeal to others and what someone else enjoys sniffing around for may bore you to tears. Good. That’s the way it should be. The world works best when all of us are sniffing and following our scents to their ultimate destination.
…the one who sniffs.
The scents we follow over the course of our lives will sometimes vary. Some are with us from early on and never fade while others will come and go over the course of a life. Key is to always be receptive to whatever scents present themselves and to follow our scents wherever they take us.
Very few things that are worthwhile fall into anyone’s lap. You have to go and get it. You have to plan and use your resources and show some patience.
You have to go and sniff.
The Thought for the Day runs regularly. Quotes are from Gaylon’s private stock.
