When I’m petty, I feel guilty. When I observe other people being petty, I get scared, because I’ve observed pettiness wreaking havoc with relationships.
Here’s a definition of petty:
pet·ty
/ˈpedē/
adjective
1. of little importance; trivial.
“the petty divisions of party politics”
synonyms: trivial, trifling, minor, small, slight, unimportant, insignificant, inessential, inconsequential, inconsiderable, negligible, paltry, footling, fiddling, niggling, pettifogging, nugatory, of little account
2. of secondary or lesser importance, rank, or scale; minor.
“a petty official”
My personal goal for today is to make other people being petty of little importance, trivial, minor, small, slight, insignificant, inconsequential, and negligible to me.
Here are some “petty” quotes:
I fly because it releases my mind from petty things. — Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
Our thoughts are broadcasts of the soul, not secrets of the brain. Kind ones bring us happiness; petty ones, untold pain. –– Ritu Ghatourey
Party loyalty lowers the greatest men to the petty level of the masses. — Jean de la Bruyère
Guilt is petty; I am above guilt. — Susan Cheever
Reproof should not exhaust its power on petty failings. — Samuel Johnson
More than jealousy or possessiveness pettiness kills love. — Marty Rubin
Don’t be afraid of failure; be afraid of petty success. — Maude Adams
Be master of your petty annoyances and conserve your energies for the big, worthwhile things. It isn’t the mountain ahead that wears you out — it’s the grain of sand in your shoe. — Robert Service
The art of giving orders is not to try to rectify the minor blunders and not to be swayed by petty doubts. — Sun Tzu
The constant petty behests of life permit few opportunities for major satisfactions, and when one is offered it should be seized. — Rex Stout
Petty things don’t bother me as much as they used to — Rebecca Lobo
Mankind accepts good fortune as his due, but when bad occurs, he thinks it was aimed at him, done to him, a hex, a curse, a punishment by his deity for some transgression, as though his god were a petty storekeeper, counting up the day’s receipts. — Sheri S. Tepper
Great necessity elevates man. Petty necessity casts him down. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
It is better to lose everything you have to keep the balance of justice level, than to live a life of petty privilege devoid of true freedom. — Bryant H. McGill
Beware of those who attribute petty instructions to God. — Abdul Sattar Edhi
Petty laws breed great crimes. — Ouida
Never fear being a petty fool it means you ain’t dying. — Timothy Spall
Don’t sweat the petty things and don’t pet the sweaty things. — George Carlin
In the Wikipedia entry about Ouida, it says she “dressed expensively but not tastefully.” That seems rather petty, doesn’t it?
Do you see anything petty in my photos from yesterday?
That puppy at Pet Express was very pet-ty and here’s a quote from me:
Petty is the enemy of friendship. — Ann Koplow
Here‘s a Petty Song:
Here‘s the Petty Song I was looking for:
It’s not petty for me express my gratitude to all who helped me create todays “Petty” post and — of course! — to YOU.
Oh, that sweet puppy–definitely pet-ty–I’d pet him any time!!
Thanks for the sweet comment!
I’m happy
Not to be petty
I do pity
Those that are petty
It’s never pretty
I’m happy to see you, Ivor.
There’s a saying that in academia the fights are so big because the turf is so small. Maybe that’s applicable to almost all disagreements. I know I always hesitate to disagree with anyone because when I think about it my objections usually are petty, and conflict makes me sweaty.
I hesitate to disagree with you, Chris, because you’re so insightful. One of my personal synonyms for “petty” is “turf-y.”
What one probably didn’t imagine in life is how petty the most justifiable argument could become. The essential then is hidden somewhere, waiting to either be accepted or postponed.
I accept your essential comment, Maria.
Don’t back down on fighting pettiness. I want to take that little dog home. It looks depressed.
I won’t back down, Lisa, and thanks, as always, for your empathy and support.
I kept reading pretty not petty which changed the whole post
I re-read that post with pretty instead of petty, Joanne. As always, thank you for your different perspective!
I’m with George Carlin in this one. 😎
I’m always with you, Val!
Nothing petty about this post!
Thank you, Jan!!!
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Here’s to our cherished pets, Ann.
Thank you, my cherished friend!
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