Ronald,
The best works of art, the greatest works of literature, and classics of all ilk need general circulation before the world can know of their merit.
Some believe that a lawyer is never acting at a higher level than when he acts as counselor. You were given a great gift of counseling this day from Philadelphia.
>>>>D) In modern day America, it is commonly accepted as proper etiquette for one who is purely a taker (such as you) to show gratitude and respect to his donor; and it is boorish, rude and juvenile for such a taker who knows the proper etiquette, to disregard it. <<<<
You were given this gift by a person with a doctorate level of education, a person of professional status, of dignity. Although I have never slighted you for your personal lack of status, professional
rank, or lessor education, your benefactor generously took it upon himself to supplement that which he believes should have been supplied by your parents no matter what level of education or rank you failed to attain or to have been given to you by those parents of yours. He speaks of etiquette. That is high falootin for good manners, some might call it the golden rule.
In your lowly state, you may yet even fail to see, that even though the donor gave you this gift **gratuitously** he clearly believes and instructed you and "counseled" you in your moral duty to show gratitude and proper respect to your donor, your benefactor. It would be boorish of you and it would be juvenile of you to fail to learn from such wise counsel. All the more so if you failed to show the fullest measure of respect and gratitude for what you have been given.
Ronald, I have given much reflection upon what I witnessed being bestowed upon you. I must confess in all of my professional career I have never seen anything quite to liken unto it. Some Philanthropy given anonymously in secret chambers begets it's own quiet gratitude. Other more public givings cry out for fitting monumental immortalizations. This is certainly in that class which is the latter rather than the former.
Further reflection has led me to the conclusion that since you were in such dire need of the gift in the first place, and since it would be unseemly for a dignified benefactor to propose the proper gratitude
that you should show, for being "counseled" upon the need to show gratitude toward a benefactor, that the least I can do for you, as my lowly friend, is to likewise "counsel" you in suggested and most
fitting ways of showing the gratitude, you were instructed should be shown for **gratuitously** bestowed gifts.
A tree falling in the forest makes no sound if none is present and aware of the event. No painting peaks if not seen by many eyes, no manuscript is ever more than scrap paper if never read broadly.
Therefore to immortalize and build the most fitting monument deserving of the gift you were given, you should secure a Philadelphia Telephone Directory and beginning with the State and Federal Judges you should send prints of the gift showing what greatness and dignity resides within their jurisdiction. Likewise even if you must budget and mail over the next months of your life send copies thereof to all of your benefactors peers catalogued in that directory, that they may know him better and take note of his philanthropic Professional demeanor. And most economically of all, you can provide wide knowledge among the lay people of this SI web site, if you cross link his gift to you onto every other thread hereon, so that those who might seek counseling will know of your benefactors caliber.
In short lowly Ronald it is the very least you can do under the circumstances. He must count this gift among the outputs of his finest hour on earth. His pride should be justly rewarded and that you not remain among the boorish, and juvenile ingrates it falls to you to do what must be done.
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