The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1869-09-04
Life Is What sUe Make 1t.

The following article constitutes the leader
in late issue of the Philadelphia Ledger. 1t is
seldom that we meet with such an article in the
editorial columns of our daily journals, or one
containing more OF sound philosophy than this :
| One of the most prolific sources OF open COM
plant and secret discomfort is the apparent in
] equality of the human lot in life. In proof of
this we are pointed to the outward differences so
palpable to ALL Wealth and poverty, health
and sickness, education and ignorance, ability
and feeblepess, success and failure, certainly pre-
sent very opposite appearances; but that they are
either the fixed and inevitable lot Of those who
now possess them, or that they are themselves the
true elements Of life's happiness 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
repiniDg, and to animate the energies to their
fullest capacity, is that le is ,0hat zoe make it,
Two men stand side by sidc gazing on the same
scene in nature. To one, who has bright and
cheerful disposition, it reveals only beauty and
gladness while to 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 toorld what we make it
ourselves The selfish and cold hearted will ever
ted haughtily the angry and passionate will re-
ceiye rudeness and violence, and these who dis
honor themselves will be dishonored by others.
But society, to the good, the gentle, ard the be-
nevolent, is different Their example wins others
to similar virtues and develops the germs of
good, which, though they may be hidden, yet
exist in every heart. From mans estimate of
society as a whole, we may gain a very fair
knowledge Of his own character, for as he is so
h., thA all
things are pure, because their purity, like the
magnet, attracts the sama quality in others
while a heart that is itself eatrauged frem virtue
can find none elsewhere.
Equally true is it, that our world OF circum-
stances and events is what wo ourselves make it.
The luxuries OF wealth, the triumphs Of success,
the scintlations OF genius, and even The blessings
of health, may be converted into bitter OWLS if
the we'll springs of nature are corrupt; while the
severest trials aud temptations can, TO pure and
noble heart, be changed into blessings. The
power of trial TO harm us does not reside in ITSELF
but in our own feebeness to resist or to endure
- Every temptation resisted puri6es and eleyates
the heart, and every suffering rightly borne
strengthens our nature. Business life seems 10
dry up some natures, and lead them away from
higher things while in others it creates vr-
tuous independence, manness, and integrity.
Pleasure to one proves poisonous draught,
while to another it is healthfnl refreshment
Thus life is sohat sce make IL. 1t is not made up,
in its intrinsic nature, OF the material world nor
OF the society in which we move, nor Of the ex-
terna circumstances which surround us. 1t is
our own internal character that noulds and
fashions all these outward things, and extracts
from them the bitter or the sweet that best
with itself These outward circum-
stances contain the essence OF both happiness and
good ndevil. Happy is the person
who can extract the sweet and leave the bitter
who can develop the good and extinguish tho
evil As the chemist works up the elements into
the desired condition, and obtains fresh knowl-
edge from all the difficulties thsy exhibit so in
the moral, every thing external may be resolved
into good by the patient efforts Of man, and all
that seems most adverse may he 80 overcome or
endured as to prove greater blessing than the
most apparently favorable events
This view of life will lead US TO put q juster |
estimate upon the complaints which are so rife |
among all. If life is what we make it., we must |
look within and not without for the sources of |
discomfort. We complain Of society, OF circum- |
stances, of every ything EXTERNAL out in most |
literal sense they all what we make them. In |
as we are industrious and virtuous |
shall we be honored and rewarded in proper |
tion as we are lovely, we shall be beloved and.
even in the most trying situations and tbs sorest
trials, the main point as TO their severity is the |
spirit in which they are received. Patient, |
faithful endeayot neLrr lcsuIte IN continuec uE- |
happiness, and is never ultimately unsuccessful.
Misery chiefly arises from insufficient effort and
consequent ill-success. IF then We would find |
life good, we must fill our hearts with goodness;
if we would have the world shine brightly upon
us, we must kindle light in our soulsand cause