"Gratification" by Julian B.

 

My dad used to always tell me to be patient in life, and that “good things come to those who wait.” Delayed gratification was an idea that I learned to live by. Gratification, according to Merriam-Webster, is defined as a source of satisfaction or pleasure. Being persistent and waiting for your own diligence to result in your own form of satisfaction reflects one’s ability to gratify themselves. When I first started skateboarding I asked my parents for the money to buy my first skateboard, and surprisingly, my father was easily persuaded. But, he told me that I had to bring my grades up to all A’s. So without hesitation I began studying harder than ever and began preparing for upcoming exams. And after bringing home graded tests with nearly perfect scores, my dad fulfilled his promise and took me out to get my first board. This ultimatum not only made me try harder in school, but taught me the value of hard work, patience, and most importantly, delayed gratification.

 

The origin of the word, gratification, is derived from the Latin word gratificari, meaning “give or do as a favor.” A deeper origin of the word, gratus, is defined as pleasing or thankful, completing a given task or favor is a form of giving satisfaction to another person or to you. These origins define gratification as an act of satisfaction derived out of one’s own willing ability to complete a task/favor. In my case, gratification is a reward that is so valuable that someone

will make changes in their lifestyle in order to achieve it. When a person is granted gratification it should not be out of a favor to achieve satisfaction, it should be viewed as an opportunity to learn valuable lessons upon bettering oneself. Gratification is a form of satisfaction that comes from persistence that brings delayed rewards. Gratification is more about the process of change and improvement rather than the prize at the end.

 

Instead of being satisfied with the result of a long awaited desire, the form of self-improvement and the actions that one takes to achieve this state of gratification greatly outweighs the value of the aspiration. Gratification is a form of a valued lesson, and this lesson teaches that when a great goal is placed in one’s mind, you may improve or alter your way of life and choose to function in a better and more efficient manner to reach this state of satisfaction and pleasure.

 

 

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gratification

 

www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/gratification