Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1869-11-15
WAITING FOR OPPORTUNITIES.

II is one of the commonsst mistakes
of life, and also one of the most radical
sourcss Of evil, to wait for opporsuni-
ties. Many persons, while admitting
the paucity of their lives, and regretting
that they contribute so little to the gen.
eral stock of happiness, or to their OWE
improvement, attribute it to their lack
Of opportunity. They are looking for
some marked event, or some grand open
ing, through which they hope to de-
velop what may be in them, aud thus
make potent q character which now,
from lack of motive, is barren and IN
fruitful. The waste of life caused oy
such mistaken waiting is incslculaols.
For tho real materials out Of which our
characters are forming, are the hourly
occurrences of every day life. Every
claim Of duty, the employment OF each
minute, tho daily vs1ations or troubles
we are called upon to bear, the momen'
tary decisions that must be made, the
casual interview, the contact with sin
or sorrow in their every day dress-all
these, and many other, as small and as
constant, are the real opportunities OF
life. These we are continually embrace
ing or neglectiug, and out Of them we
are forming a character that is fast con-
~solidatiug into the shape we give it, for
good or for evil. Those who are wait
ing for important events, grand issues
and marked crises, overlook this great
fac, and drift aimlessly along the cur
rent that seem, to them so placid as to
REQUIRE no effort, but which is bearing
down with fatal swiftuess all those who
do not energetically breast its waves
and resist its powers.
The best proofs Of a noble character
lie not 20 much in the manner OF doing
great things or bearing great burdens,
as ia the way Of receiving tho common
events Of every day life /; of performing
its duties, bearing its crosses, and re-
sis,ing its temptations. There are mo-
= few who look upon tho great contest:
of life with almost longing, who fancy
that they could suffer ~martyrdom with
irmuess, or severe affection with calm
ness; while they yet render themsalve:
and others wretched by their discomfort
over tribes, or selfshly refuse to sacri'
fee small interests, while longing In
Imagination for opportunities to sacrifice
all. The truest heroism is that which
is unseen, unknown. Public martyr
dom, of every shade, has a certain ecls'
and popularity connected with it, tina,
will often bear mon up to endure with
courage its trials; but those who suffer
alone, without sympathy for truth oil
principle; those who, unnoticcd b!
men. maintain their post. and in obscu'
rity, aud amid Encouragement, pa
tieutly fulfill their trust, these are the
real heroes of the age, and the suffering
they bear is the truest martyrdom.
There are doubtless in the lives of all
great crises, large opportunities, marked
epochs. But he who waits for them,
will be i'll prepared to meet them when
they come. The strength to pass
through them nobly and worthily, must
have accumulated little by little, ia the
patient and resoluts struggle Of every
day life. He who fails bore, will surely
fail in greater things. II We neglect
our little opportunities, we shall lack
the power to embrace the larger ones
Chances are lying open to Us every mo
msnt of our lives. We need not wait
for them, they are waiting for Us to EN-
brace them. If we watch through 0
single day we shall doubtless discover
hundreds of opportunities Of both doing
and receiving good, that we have hith'
erto perhaps passed by in indifference
and by diligent ~assiduity in seeking fol
and embracing these, We shall be pre-
pared to encounter the 6ercer storms Of
life that may await us, or to take ad-
vantage of the future that may open for
our good.