Morris tribune., 1889-11-20
Keep Thanksgiving!

Let us keep 1t by all means. Let US
keep it every year, all over the country
north. south. east, west, Gather all
your family around you, every one.
Give your children the best dinner you
can afford Let not one word of scold-
ing come from your lips, let not a child
ing thought enter vour heart. Let the
young ones have rare day of perfect
happiness Let them at least believe
they have something to be thankful for.
Sorrow and disappointment will come
to chill their bright young souls soon
enough. Let them say for at least one
whole day: am happy; am glad l was
born. For the time will come when they
cannot say that.
What is more, if any of your children,
your relatives or friends, are estranged
from you, if you have parted in anger
and they have wandered away from you,
alone and in pain, go out to them this
day and bring them back. Bid them to
your Thanksgiving feast. and forgive and
be forgiven, for you need it as much as
they. The true and only philosophy of
life, if one would be happy, prosperous
and beloved, is to live constantly at
peace with all mankind.
Again, if there are unloved, minated
anes in your midst, bachelors, single
women who dwell alone, widows and
widowers, those lonely souls who are not
first best to anybody, bid them to your
feast, too. Make them feel for one day
i'll the year that there is somebody who
takes a genuine interest in them.
Did you ever think what it is not to be
first best to any human being; to have
not a soul who cares more for you than for
anybody else on earth? If you never did,
think of it now, you who have homes and
families. Remember the solitary. those
who have nobody to go home to, men and
women both: those who, with hearts full
of kindly emotions, yet are doomed to
walk through life unioved. Is there not
an infinite sadness in it?
What have you to be thankful for; dis
contented, disappointed man or woman?
If you have nothing else, yoH are to be
thankful for life itself. You have not
been so very happy in life that you feel
like giving thanks for it? Nevertheless
give thanks. Consider what life is for.
It is struggle and strife mostly. Very
we'll That is exactly what we want to
fit us for the lofty heritage of the human
soul. If we had no difficulties to wrestle
against, to develop the marvellous powers
of mind and body that lie latent within
us, we should be idiots and jelly fish.
Trouble means struggle, and struggle
means strength. See that you take it so.
Finally, if you believe in. the immor-
tality of the soul, believe it to some
purpose. Remember always that you
are an immortal spirit, that nothing can
kill you, nothing can starve, hurt OF
crush you. Whatever happens to you,
if you do your best, you will still be an
immortal spirit, developing a glorious
destiny, and nothing can alter that.
Therefore, no trouble or misfortune can
matter very much here, where nothing
is permanent but change.
If you have trouble that you cannot
get rid of, don't go off alone and brood
over it. Keep yourself constantly busy
at some useful work. Help other people
all you can. Persistently keep bright
and jolly thoughts before your mind.
Garry this philosophy with you always,
and you can at length rise above all diff.
fculties, at length find out how to be
happy, though miserable.