Smyrna times., 1869-09-15
LIFE Is WHAT WE MAKE 1T.

One OF the mos; prolific sources of open COM |
plalnt and secret discomfort is the apparent
inequality OF the human lot in life. La pro #
OF this, We are pointed to the outward differ
ences so palpable to all. Wealth and poverty,
health and sickness, education and ignorance,
ability and feebleness success and failure, GER
talnly present very opposite appearances but
that they are the fixed and inevitable lot OF
those who now possess them, or that they are
themselves the true elements of life happi-
ness or misery, are erroneous, though very
prevalent ideas The truth that ought to be
impressed on every mind and especially upon
the young, both to prevent repiuing, and to
anlmat1 the energies to their fullest capacity,
is that afe as aohdt zoe make 1t. Two men stand
side by side, gazing on the same scene in ma
ture 10 one, who has bright and cheerful
disposition, it reve.ls only beauty and g'adness
while t. the other, gloomy and sad the whole
scene IS spread over with leaden pail. 1t is
| our own state of mind that creates for US, even
Nature herself, and paints the same scene in
beauty or in gloom.
Still more is our social ,oorM what we make
1t ourselves. The selfish and cOld-hearted will
ever find cOldueSs and sel6shness in Others !;
the proud will be treated haughtily, the angry
and passionate will receive rudeness and vlO
lence, and those who dishonOr themselves will
be dishOnOred by others. But society, to the
good, the gentle, and the benevolent, is differ
ent. Their example wins others to similar vir-
tues and develops the germs Of good, which,
though they may be hidden, yet exist in every
heart. From man s estimate of society as a
whole, we may gain very fair knowledge OF
his own character, for as he is, so will Others
appear to him. To the pure all things are
pure, because their purity, like the magnet
attracts the same quality in others; while the
heart that is itself estranged from virtue, Cal
find none elsewhere.
Equally true is it, that our world of circum
) stances and events is what we ourselves max,
1t. The luXurles of wealth, the trlumphs o
success, the scintillatlonS of genius, and evel
2 the blessings OF health, may be converted int
Z bitter evils if the well springs of nature ar
q corrupt; while the severest trials and tempta
r tons can, to pure and noble heart, be chang
e ed into blessings. The power of trial to harr
: us does not reside in itself, but in our own fee
i bleness to resist or to endure it. Every temp
|. tatlOn resisted purifies and elevates the heart
), and every suffering rightly borne strengthen
e our nature. Business life seems to dry u
some natures, and lead them away from hghe
" things; while In others, it creates virtuous il
j. dependence, manhneSs, and integrity. Plea,
l. ure to one proves a poisonous draught, Will
4 to another it is a healthful refreshment Thu
y life is IChdt lOe nldIce It,
# This view of life will lead us to put iustt
estimate upon the complaints which are so ri
il among all. If life is what we make it, "
,e must look within and not without, for the sou
m ces of discomfort We complain Of society,
: circumstances of everything external, but in
of most literal sense they are all what we NAL
le them. In proportion as we are industrious al
d virtuous shall we be honored and rewarded
as proportion as we are lovely we shall be belo
ID ed and even in the most trying situations al
re the sorest trials, the main point as to the
I'd severity is the spirit in which they are recei
a ed. Patient, faithful endeavor never resu
q. in continued unhappiness, and is never ul
as ndtety unsuccessful Misery cheny arl'
in from insufficient efforts and consequent ill-st
cess. If then we should find life good,
must fill our hearts with goodness it we wou
have the world shine brightly upon us,
must kinde light in our own souls and eau
lis it to shed a radiance on all around Phi
ch Ledger.